Warriors Escape From The Dark
by Zozzy3198
Summary: Chestfall, Splashheart and Swiftleap have all disappeared! The rest of the clan suspects that the dark forest cats have taken them but while most of the clan wants to start a battle to win them back, one cat is pairing up with the dark forest in their dreams every night, does this cat know what they are facing? Or are they welcoming the darkness?
1. Allegiances

**Allegiances**

 **Roarclan**

 **Leader:** Brindlestar - Dark ginger tabby she-cat

 **Deputy:** Birchthorn – Dark brown tabby tom

 **Medicine Cat:** Splashheart – Silver tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice, Swamppaw** (fluffy dark grey tom)

 **Warriors:** (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Larchclaw – Tortoiseshell tom

Tumblefoot – Light brown-and-cream tom

Coalface – Black tom with dark brown toes and undercoat

Chestfall – Ginger tabby tom

Swiftleap – Black-and-white tom

Appleskip – Dark cream coloured she-cat

Shredflame – Dark grey tom

Cherrywhisker – Ginger tabby she-cat with white socks and chin

Toadleap – Black tom with white flecks down his back

Sagewilllow – Ginger she-cat with white tail-tip

Screechclaw – Grey tom with lighter grey undercoat

Leafclaw – Light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and undercoat

Whitenose – Dark brown tabby tom with white muzzle

Pip – Ginger and white tom

Lightwhisker – Light brown tabby she-cat with white undercoat and light brown socks

Wolfheart - Fluffy light grey tom with white undercoat

Hopeflight – Pure white tom with bright blue eyes

Daisyheart – Pale cream she-cat

Ashclaw – Black she-cat with white paw

 **Apprentices:** (More than six mons old, in training to become warriors)

Spotpaw – Black and white tom

Dewpaw – Tortoiseshell she-cat

Russetpaw – Ginger tom with blue eyes

Grasspaw – Light grey she-cat with bright green eyes

Ravenpaw – Black she-cat with white tail-tip

 **Queens:** (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Briarleaf – Ginger she-cat with white muzzle

 **Elders:** (Former warriors and queens now retired)

Moonpelt – Silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes

Reedthorn – Ginger tabby she-cat

 **Duskclan**

 **Leader:** Nightstar – Black she-cat with dark blue eyes

 **Deputy:** Duskthorn – Dark tabby ginger tom

 **Medicine cat:** Mapledawn – Pretty ginger she-cat

 **Warriors:** (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Swiftpoppy – Ginger and white she-cat

Blazesky – Ginger tom with white paws

Sheepdawn – Fluffy white she-cat with green eyes

Curlflower – Curly haired she-cat with a light brown pelt

Badgerfang – Black tom with one big stripe from nose to tail-tip resembling a badger

Stumpyclaw – Brown tom with short but sharp claws

Rabbittuft – Fluffy white she-cat with a stub tail

Mossspirit – Mossy coloured she-cat

Sandpelt – Pale grey tabby tom

Ebonyfire – Black she-cat with fiery red eyes

Appleheart – Dark creamy coloured she-cat

Daybrook – Light grey she-cat with silver flecks on her flank

Tigerfur – Dark brown tabby tom

Flintwind – Light grey tom

Mistbird – Grey she-cat

 **Queens:** (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Cherrynose – Ginger tabby she-cat

 **Elders:** (Former warriors and queens now retired)

Crookedpad – Brown tabby tom with one awkward paw

Daisyswirl – Golden she-cat

 **Streamclan**

 **Leader:** Stormstar – Grey tom with dark grey stripe down his back to tail-tip

 **Deputy:** Frostbeam – lithe white she-cat

 **Medicine cat:** Molefoot – Light grey tom with pink nose

 **Warriors:** (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Icethroat – skinny white tom

Hazelpoppy – Golden tabby she-cat

Frostspark – Fluffy white she-cat

Tigerscar – Brown tabby tom with one big scar over his left eye

Lightningpoppy – ginger tom with black stripes on his back

Tallflame – long legged flame coloured tom

Leopardswoop – golden she-cat with unusual spots

Silverwater – silver tabby she-cat

Badgerear – Black tom with white ears

Mistbranch – White she-cat with light brown tail

Flintstone – Grey tom dark grey paws and muzzle

Buzzarddream – light brown she-cat

Fawngaze – brown she-cat

Beespring – grey and black tabby tom

Feathersight – silver tabby she-cat

Speckshine – silver she-cat with grey socks

 **Queens:** (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Whitebriar – White she-cat with silver toes and undercoat

Willowfleck – silver and white tabby she-cat

 **Elders:** (Former warriors and queens now retired)

Ferretbird – tiny brown tom

Softtooth – black tom with small teeth

 **Breezeclan**

 **Leader:** Flintstar – dark grey tom

 **Deputy:** Beechvine – black and brown tom

 **Medicine cat:** Flintstorm – light grey tom with a dark grey tail-tip

 **Warriors:** (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Lochpetal – brown she-cat

Gooseheart – grey tom with white undercoat

Mistyripple – pretty light grey she-cat

Lionsplash – muscly golden tabby tom

Tallmist – tall black and white tom

Badgerdust – fluffy black and white tom

Featherstripe – fluffy she-cat with a feather looking spot on her flank

Fawnwish – light brown tabby she-cat

Cloverfish – dark brown she-cat with white paws and tail-tip

Plumcoat – ginger she-cat with white paws

Iceblossom – white she-cat with light grey tail-tip

Eaglespring – brown she-cat with white chest and toes

Amberbrook – golden tabby she-cat

 **Queens:** (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Lakefall –Light grey tabby she-cat

 **Elders:** (Former warriors and queens now retired)

Birchsnout – black and brown tom

Sootjaw – white tom with black muzzle resembling soot

 **Cats outside of clans**

Turbo – Grey tom with cream undercoat and red bandana around his neck


	2. Prologue

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Prologue**

Lilysnow treaded lightly on the star filled grass, she gazed down at the Starclan territory with each of her fallen clanmates sharing tongues beneath her, she heard the bushes rustle behind her announcing the arrival of Moonblaze. The grey tabby tom nodded his head in respect at the she-cat before sitting down next to her and staring out at the vast landscape below them.

"I am not ready to greet one of my kits…" Moonblaze grieved for his three kits who had been lured to the dark forest.

"You have already welcomed one and that should have been enough," Lilysnow preached. Moonblaze lowered his head in agreement and sadness, Lilysnow looked down and saw Springpaw playing with her younger sister Applekit, who had been born a stillborn in Lighthwhisker's first litter.

"I just wish there was some way to change their fate," Moonblaze moaned, with a slight edge to his tone, obviously mad that he couldn't do anything to help his three kits.

"I promise we will help them as much as we can, but you know the Starclan law 'Do not enter the dark forest unless it is _needed_ '." She made sure she emphasized the 'needed' in her attempt to soothe the tom but he simply glared at her.

"And you do not think that my kits _need_ my help?" Moonblaze spat. Lilysnow nodded her head and faced the Starclan territory once more.

"I believe they can survive this," Lilysnow soothed. Moonblaze lowered his head slightly before bracing his shoulders and taking a deep breath.

"But you have foreseen that not all of them will make it," Moonblaze whined. Lilysnow recalled her tragic nightmare that had shown her one of the three warriors would not make it out of the dark forest.

"I know and I am very sorry but that vision was very true," Lilysnow answered. Moonblaze stood up from his spot beside her and walked away, leaving Lilysnow alone at the top of the cliff. She leaped from the cliff and landed squarely on top of a cherry blossom tree that had been glazed with white meaning that Leaf-bare had come for the clans.

"Having fun?" A voice chuckled from behind Lilysnow, she turned around and saw her mentor Specklepelt sitting on branch that was poking out of the top of the tree.

"Of course I am, I always am," She croaked, trying to sound as cheerful as she could but Specklepelt could tell she wasn't happy.

"What is troubling you?" Specklepelt gracefully padded along the branch and then leaped down to sit beside her.

"I had a horrible dream that one of the three missing warriors would not make it out of the dark forest," Lilysnow explained. Specklepelt nodded her head and then rested her tail on Lilysnow's shoulder.

"And you believe it is true?" Specklepelt questioned. Lilysnow raised her head and faced Specklepelt, tilting her head to one side.

"Well yes, I believe it is," Lilysnow continued.

"Alright, you believe what you wish," Specklepelt began to make her way down the tree and Lilysnow quickly raced after her.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Lilysnow coaxed. Specklepelt just kept walking down the tree trunk until she was close enough to the ground to land softly on it.

"I'm not saying it isn't," Specklepelt confirmed. Lilysnow leaped down from the tree trunk and landed in front of her, stopping Specklepelt in her tracks.

"Then why are you arguing with me?" Lilysnow retaliated; Specklepelt stared with amusement in her eyes.

"I am not arguing with you, I'm just saying that not every dream is real but then again I wasn't there so I wouldn't know," Specklepelt concluded. Lilysnow stepped aside and allowed the she-cat to continue walking. Lilysnow trotted beside silently, being careful not to disturb her. They eventually arrived at the viewing pool. Specklepelt simply sat next to it and tapped it slightly with her tail-tip causing a ripple effect in the pool.

"What's there?" Lilysnow demanded, her neck fur bristling with annoyance.

Specklepelt didn't respond, not even with a twitch of her ears to show she had heard her. Lilysnow padded forward hesitantly and then proceeded to look in the pool. When she looked down she saw Roarclan sitting around two motionless bodies. She quickly realised that the cats were dead, with a distraught apprentice sitting in between the two. She felt a slight pressure applied to her back and accidentally fell into the pool of icy water. She quickly shut her eyes and almost straight after felt a cool breeze touch her nose, her pelt was dry and she opened her eyes to see that she was standing beside her grieving clanmates. She took another look at the dead cats and realised her brother Icebreeze was laying next to a cat she didn't recognize. She began to sob and quickly after her eyes filled with tears as she lay beside her brother's motionless body, she turned to the aching apprentice who looked as if he was staring straight at her.

 _Can he see me?_ Lilysnow stood up and moved slightly, the apprentice's eyes followed her.

"Are you from Starclan?" He exclaimed. She nodded her head and quickly glanced around the clearing. All of the cats around her were staring at her.

 _I guess they can all see me…_

"I am Lilysnow and I have come to tell you that your missing warriors have a dark path ahead of them. I am very sorry but I have foretold that one of them will not make it," Lilysnow clarified. Shocked gasps came from each of the cats and Lilysnow saw that some of them were parting to allow a light brown she-cat through.

"Are you saying that my kits are dead?" Lilysnow quickly realised that this she-cat was Lightwhisker.

"No, I'm saying one of them will not make it," Lilysnow informed. The she-cat lowered her head in grief and was quickly comforted by a grey tom who looked exactly like Moonblaze.

 _Did he come as well?_

The tom looked at her and nodded his head in grief. Her paws suddenly had a tingling sensation in them and she realised that she was beginning to fade back into Starclan.

"I promise I will watch over them," Lilysnow whispered as the rest of her disappeared.


	3. Chapter 1

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 1**

Several moons had passed since Chestfall, Swiftleap and Splashheart had disappeared and cats were beginning to lose hope. Lightwhisker had been the most determined to find her kits but no cat would help her. Wolfheart had tried a few times but he had given up trying because he knew where they were, they were stuck in the dark forest with the rest of the rejected Starclan cats. Daisyheart had given birth to two beautiful kits called Dewkit and Russetkit but they were both apprentices now along with Ashclaw's kits Grasspaw and Ravenpaw. Rosetail and Icebreeze had both been crushed by a falling beech tree during a border patrol on the Breezeclan border a few moons back and most of the clan had stopped grieving but others were still upset about their unfortunate death and no cat had forgotten what Lilysnow had said at their vigil either.

"Ravenpaw, can you come here please?" Wolfheart called to his apprentice, who was helping to repair the elders den with Russetpaw and his mentor Hopeflight. She quickly stopped what she was doing and came over to Wolfheart.

"What is it?" Ravenpaw responded.

"I need you to come with me on a hunting patrol," Wolfheart explained.

"I thought Screechclaw had already taken one of those?" She wondered aloud, Wolfheart rolled his eyes in annoyance and looked at his apprentice.

"We need as much prey as we can get, it'll just be me and you," Wolfheart sympathized. Ravenpaw perked up with glee at the idea.

"Are we going to catch a fox?" She burst out. Wolfheart admired the young cat's imagination but he knew that foxes wouldn't be out now.

"We could but I highly doubt any foxes would be out in leaf-bare," Wolfheart replied. Ravenpaw's body drooped at the comment but then perked up once more.

"It's ok we still get to go out and hunt," Ravenpaw meowed.

"If we can find anything to hunt," Wolfheart added. They both padded over to the entrance and went out into the forest, Ravenpaw wrinkled her nose as the sudden coldness of the forest hit her nose.

"It's a lot chillier out when you aren't in a group," she admitted. Wolfheart gave a snort of amusement at the little she-cat's comment.

"It wouldn't be much better in group because we would all end up splitting apart anyway," Wolfheart pressed.

The she-cat shuddered her body before nodding and sprinting towards a tree, she quickly realised that she wanted to stop but when she tried to her paws flailed around beneath her and she slipped straight into the bottom of the trunk. Wolfheart tried his hardest to suppress a _mroww_ of laughter but he couldn't hold it in. Ravenpaw slowly turned her head around and glared at her mentor. Wolfheart padded up to her and placed his tail on her shoulder before quickly slamming his paw against the trunk causing an avalanche of snow to pour onto his apprentice, she quickly shook her way out of the mound and leaped to escape from it.

"You did that on purpose!" She shouted, spitting with rage.

"Of course I did," Wolfheart chuckled. Ravenpaw jumped toward him, shoving him to the ground as she landed, he stared at her and then pretended to be injured.

"Behold, the great and powerful Ravenstar!" Ravenpaw called.

"Oh great Ravenstar, what is your order?" Wolfheart played along with her little game, by bowing at her paws.

"I command you to-"

"What's this?" Ravenpaw and Wolfheart immediately stood up and turned around to face the sudden new voice. Wolfheart realised that it was Screechclaw's patrol, his pelt went hot with embarrassment and he quickly gave his chest fur a few swift licks.

"We were just…practicing our hunting crouch," Ravenpaw lied; Screechclaw and the rest of his patrol including Appleskip, Shredflame and Leafclaw stared at them with amusement pouring out of their eyes.

"And hedgehogs fly," Shredflame chuckled. Wolfheart looked at Ravenpaw who was sheathing and unsheathing her claws as if she was ready to pounce, Wolfheart placed his tail on her shoulder and shook his head.

"Yes, hedgehogs do fly," Wolfheart retorted, the two nodded their heads at the same time and turned around so they could walk away from the patrol. They didn't bother to face the patrol as they walked away in line with each other as they made their way deeper into the forest.

"That was pretty embarrassing," Ravenpaw muttered, Wolfheart gave her ear a slight cuff with his paw.

"It was funny though," Wolfheart joked.

"Did you see the look on Shredflame's face when you replied with 'Yes, hedgehogs do fly'?" Ravenpaw ranted. Wolfheart gave the apprentice a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, I left him speechless," Wolfheart purred in satisfaction.

"We have to do that more often," Ravenpaw proposed.

"We can but right now _you_ have to show me your hunting crouch," Wolfheart demanded. Ravenpaw obeyed his order and immediately dropped into her crouch, Wolfheart placed his paw on her back signalling he wanted her to lower it.

"Is that good?" Ravenpaw asked her mentor. He nodded causing her to slowly creep forward and disappear behind a bush, she came back soon after with a skinny mouse in her jaws, her gaze filled with doubt.

"It will have to do," Wolfheart praised. She dropped her frail mouse on the ground and padded up to Wolfheart, his pelt went hot and he began to feel uneasy.

"Are you sure?" Ravenpaw doubted.

"It's good enough," Wolfheart suddenly saw Ravenpaw leaping towards him. He shuffled sideways and then proceeded to jump onto her, he managed to land his paws on her shoulders and hold her down, they stared at each other for a moment before Ravenpaw reached her neck up and gave Wolfheart's cheek a quick lick he let her go and sat back.

"Ah… sorry, that was mouse-brained," Ravenpaw stammered. She quickly sprinted past him and picked up her catch before racing off back to camp, leaving him alone in the clearing.


	4. Chapter 2

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 2**

 _Where am I?_ Chestfall's head felt dizzy with sleep and the earth around him felt damp as if it had been raining throughout the night. He looked around and saw his sister Splashheart curled up tightly beside him; he gave her a few prods with his paw to wake her up.

"I already cleaned the herb store," she moaned. He rolled his eyes and poked her side with his claw, she shot up and glared at him.

"Sorry, but look around," Chestfall implied. Splashheart took her gaze of him and stared in awe at the forest around them.

"Where are we?" She shivered; she slowly padded back over to Chestfall without taking her eyes off of the tall black trees above them.

"It's the dark forest," A voice replied. Both of them flicked their heads around and saw their brother Swiftleap sitting calmly behind them.

"How did we get here?" Chestfall queried. He quickly stood up and proceeded to sit next to his brother, Swiftleap waited for Splashheart to sit beside them before answering his brother's question.

"We all came here through the Moonstream," Swiftleap explained. Splashheart's gaze darkened and Chestfall felt as if he looked the same way.

 _Why are we here? Are we some kind of bait?_ Chestfall questioned himself.

"This is all your fault!" Splashheart spat, she stood up and stomped away from her brothers.

"My fault? I was trying to help!" Swiftleap retorted. The two began shouting and hissing at each other.

"Fox-dung!"

"Mouse-brain!"

"Badger-face!"

"Enough!" Chestfall growled, both of them fell silent and looked at him.

"She started it," Swiftleap muttered. Splashheart didn't reply but she had her claws unsheathed and digging into the ground.

"Now is not the time to be arguing, we need to get back to our clan," Chestfall declared, both of his littermates gave an assertive nod.

"How do you propose we do that?" Swiftleap queried.

"I… Ah don't exactly know," Chestfall admitted. Splashheart and Swiftleap both rolled their eyes and began examining the dark forest around them

"Can you make it out, is the question," A menacing voice sounded from behind Chestfall and he turned around to see a figure leaping towards him. He quickly dodged and ran towards his littermates, who were having their own problems. He turned around again and saw the cat that he had seen first racing towards him. Chestfall jumped up into the air and ran down the shadowy cats back, it quickly whipped back around and landed on his back, holding him down.

"What's your prob-" Chestfall was cut off by a paw shoving down on his muzzle, holding his mouth shut into the ground.

"Shut up, Beaverstep is coming," The voice whispered. Chestfall felt the paw rise off of his muzzle and the weight on his back released, he stood up and shook his pelt, he realised that the figure was a cream she-cat with a huge scar down her flank, he looked away and saw a ginger tom trotting into the clearing.

"Well, what do we have here?" Beaverstep hissed, his neck fur arching.

"We didn't mean to come here, if you could help us out that would be great," Splashheart hesitantly meowed. Beaverstep snapped his head around and locked his gaze on Splashheart, she whimpered down the ground and stared at Beaverstep in horror, he raised his forepaw and unsheathed his claws ready to slash her face. Chestfall broke away from his guard and shoved Beaverstep away from Splashheart.

"How dare you!" The she-cat that had been guarding gasped. Chestfall looked at Beaverstep and saw a single paw smash into his cheek, he collapsed to the ground and felt blood begin to ooze out of it.

"Kittypets…" Beaverstep murmured. Chestfall filled with rage and pounced at the ginger tom, Beaverstep dodged his attack and landed on Chestfall.

"I don't care if you kill me, but I will not go down being called a kittypet," Chestfall jeered, Beaverstep's gaze filled with amusement and he released Chestfall.

"This one's a keeper," Beaverstep remarked. His two clanmates laughed along with him and Chestfall felt slightly ashamed but also proud of defending his sister and his respect.

"So who are you?" Swiftleap asked the tom. Beaverstep paced forward so he was in the centre of the cats.

"I am the ruler of this forest," Beaverstep exclaimed, the three guards bowed at their leader and then stood up again.

"How can you be the ruler? Were you the first cat here or something?" Splashheart queried, Beaverstep shook his head.

"No, I won my title as the ruler in a battle," Beaverstep described. Chestfall looked the tom up and down and realised he was quite muscly.

"How many cats did you have to fight?" Swiftleap asked, seeming intrigued.

"Well first it was Brightstar, the scrawny little thing and then it was the pathetic excuse for a cat, Rattleclaw…" Beaverstep chuckled mischievously; his clanmates joked along with him.

"Isn't it rude to make fun of your clanmates?" Splashheart accused.

"Not if they're dead," Beaverstep growled. Splashheart's eyes filled with a look of horror.

"You must have been training a while then," Swiftleap cheered. Chestfall was surprised that his brother didn't even seem to care about the lives that had been lost.

"Yes I did, just as you will be doing," Beaverstep asserted. Chestfall looked at his brother in bewilderment, his brother actually seemed excited to do that kind of thing for them where as Splashheart looked horrified at the thought.

"I don't fight, I heal," Splashheart whined. Beaverstep sat down next to her and placed his tail on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm going to train _you_ personally," Beaverstep vowed, a look of eagerness in his eye. Splashheart didn't respond, she simply sat staring at the ground.


	5. Chapter 3

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 3**

"Try your best" Beaverstep advised. Splashheart flung her paws about towards him but she wasn't hitting anything.

"I'm sorry, I'm just not cut out for this," Splashheart whimpered. Beaverstep placed his tail under her chin and raised her head slightly so she could face him.

"Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses, it just depends on which one they feed that shapes who they are," Beaverstep praised.

 _How can a cat this charming be sent to this awful place?_ Splashheart wondered. Beaverstep released her chin and turned around to face her once more. Splashheart thought hard back to her training with Lilysnow.

"Like this?" Splashheart leaped at Beaverstep, taking him by surprise, she tried to stop midway in the air but ended up tripping over herself and landing on him awkwardly. She looked up and saw Beaverstep staring at her with his deep thoughtful eyes.

"Exactly," Beaverstep joked, politely shoving her off of him. She stumbled a bit and then got up and tried again this time she landed on top of him and managed to get a harmful blow to his flank.

"How was that?" Splashheart asked, now excited to be learning something.

"That was good but I think we can do better," Beaverstep praised. He showed her a new move where you slide past the cats side and trip them with one of your paws, when Splashheart tried she ended up smacking straight into his legs.

"Sorry," she meowed, feeling hot with embarrassment.

"It's alright just try and hook your paw onto my legs," Beaverstep ordered. Splashheart nodded and tried again. She got it perfect, her paws got his front legs causing him to collapse muzzle first into the ground, she quickly turned around and pounced on his back.

"Very good…" He muttered, she quickly jumped off him with glee and landed to face him once more.

"What now?" She exclaimed. He began to walk away not responding to her question.

"Now we rest," Beaverstep replied calmly, she stopped and looked at him with confusion.

"But we only just started," She whined. Quickly chasing after him.

"We have been training for a while now, now go get some well-earned rest," Beaverstep informed. Splashheart breathed a sigh of disappointment.

"But the forest gets cold at… late night…" She didn't really know when night was in this place.

"Then come with me, you can sleep in my den," Beaverstep replied. Splashheart's ears perked up in surprise.

"Really?" She asked. Beaverstep simply nodded and kept heading toward his den.


	6. Chapter 4

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 4**

Swiftleap leaped at his attacker and bit down hard on their neck, causing them to collapse, he heard a twig snap behind him and saw another cat heading straight for him at full charge. He jumped into the air and raked his claw down their back as they ran past, the cat let out a painful caterwaul before running off the opposite way it had come. Swiftleap felt blood dripping from his jaws and he could feel the flesh and fur of his opponents clogging his claws.

"You're doing well, Swiftleap," His first attacker stood up and faced him, this cat had also been his guard when Splashheart, Chestfall and Swiftleap had first met Beaverstep, the ruler of the dark forest. The guard was a black muscular tom with dark blue eyes that shone in the continuous moonlight.

"Thank you, Halfstorm," Swiftleap purred, nodding his head in respect at the tom.

"Again," Halfstorm ordered. Swiftleap nodded and turned around to see a pale grey tabby she-cat preparing to pounce at him. He quickly ducked to the ground to avoid a collision and stood up once more to face her as she doubled back to attack him, the she-cat began to sprint towards him but as she pelted forward one of her paws scuffed along the ground causing her to trip and fall to the ground.

"Ow!" She grunted. Halfstorm sat where he was, glaring at the she-cat, she attempted to step up but when she placed her injured paw on the ground it flopped and she collapsed once again.

"Here let me help," Swiftleap meowed. He reached toward the she-cat and grabbed her scruff to help her up; once she was up he stepped closer to allow her to lean on him. She rejected him and limped away to the other side of the clearing. Halfstorm rolled his eyes and stood up to pad over to the she-cat.

"Are you alright, Cloverfang?" Halfstorm asked. Cloverfang nodded and stood up to show she was fine, Swiftleap could tell that she wasn't but he didn't say anything.

"I won't be too hard on you," Swiftleap whispered to her. She reluctantly nodded and took her spot across from him.

"Swiftleap, you will be attacking first," Halfstorm added before they began. Swiftleap nodded at the tom before facing Cloverfang and crouching.

"Stop!" Swiftleap stood up and looked at Halfstorm, the tom was looking around for the voice, a surprised caterwaul came from Cloverfang and both the toms looked at her and saw her pinned down by another she-cat.

"Who are you?" Halfstorm growled. The she-cat didn't respond, she simply turned her head around and touched noses with a pure black tom that appeared beside her.

"She is Willowface and I am Blacktuft," The tom replied. Halfstorm's ears perked up and he bowed his head at the two. Swiftleap did the same.

"It is an honour to meet you both; I didn't think you were still roaming these plains?" Halfstorm meowed, the two looked at each other and then lowered their heads.

"We were surprised as well, but something happened and we became remembered again," Willowface explained. Halfstorm cocked his head to one side.

"Surely cats aren't still telling nursery tales about you?" Halfstorm queried. Willowface hopped off of Cloverfang allowing her to get up. Swiftleap leaned toward her to lend a paw up.

"I'm fine," she hissed, she placed her injured paw on the ground and winced with pain but continued.

 _Why are these cats so afraid of help?_ Swiftleap thought to himself angrily.

"Apparently they are," Blacktuft confirmed.

 _How old are these cats?_ Swiftleap wondered.

"Who might you be?" Swiftleap looked at the two and realised that Willowface was speaking to him.

"Me? I'm nobody," Swiftleap stammered.

"You have to be somebody or otherwise Starclan wouldn't have sent you down here," Blacktuft praised. Swiftleap felt a lump rise in his throat.

 _I can't tell them, they'll kill me…_

"He's new," Halfstorm butted in before Swiftleap could reply, he gave the tom a look of gratitude.

"Well then, we must continue onwards," Blacktuft added, they both began to walk away. Willowface quickly apologised to Cloverfang before following Blacktuft deeper into the forest.

"Why are they so important?" Swiftleap asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Those cats were part of the first arrivals in this forest, we owe everything to them," Halfstorm answered.

"How could they be proud to come to a place like this?" Swiftleap grunted, he quickly after felt a weight land on his shoulders.

"What's wrong with this place?" Cloverfang hissed, all of her pain quickly forgotten.

"Nothing, I just think it's a bit odd that they are proud to say that they were the first cats to break the warrior code… badly," Swiftleap added. Cloverfang stepped off him and sat beside Halfstorm.

"Cats aren't always sent here for wrong doing…" Halfstorm grieved. Cloverfang turned her head away from Swiftleap and then proceeded to walk away from the two toms.

 _Why are me and my littermates really here?_ Swiftleap thought to himself. He knew that it had nothing to with learning to be a great fighter that was just a plus.

 _Something tells me Willowface and Blacktuft are here for a reason…_


	7. Chapter 5

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 5**

Wolfheart stepped out of the warriors den and was quickly joined by Lightwhisker, his mother. She didn't say anything to him, just simply went up the highcliff and into the leaders den where she had been going the past moon to find out if Brindlestar had heard anything about his littermates.

"I don't understand how she can be so concerned like that," Wolfheart turned around and saw Sagewillow arching her back in a huge yawn.

"Have you had any kits?" Wolfheart retaliated. Sagewillow stared at him in surprise

"No…" She muttered. Wolfheart gave the she-cat a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, I'm just scared," Wolfheart admitted. Sagewillow sat beside Wolfheart and gave his forehead a comforting lick.

"I'm pretty sure the whole clan is scared, they were very loved cats," Sagewillow soothed. Wolfheart quickly stood up and sprinted over to the fresh-kill pile, leaving Sagewillow alone outside the nursery, he couldn't bear to here other cats grieving about his littermates as if they were dead.

 _They aren't, are they?_ Wolfheart wondered sadly, he looked at the highcliff and saw his mother padding out of the leaders den with Brindlestar at her side. Lightwhisker leaped down the cliff side and Brindlestar stayed where she was at the top, staring out at the clearing.

"Cats old enough to catch your own prey, please meet here for a clan meeting," Brindlestar called. Wolfheart stayed where he was sitting and saw his mother approaching him, she said nothing to him, just simply grabbed a mouse from the pile of prey and walked away from him.

 _Does she even notice me?_ Wolfheart whined to himself. He was filled with a sudden wave of sadness, which was quickly swallowed by hatred. _She doesn't have to care about me!_ Wolfheart dug his claws deep into the ground, and realised that they were filling with mud and grass remnants.

"Wolfheart, are you alright?" He whipped his head around and went to lash out at the voice but he realised that it was Larchclaw so he stopped himself.

"I'm fine," he replied sternly. Larchclaw nodded and sat beside him, with their pelts brushing.

"Today I will be dedicating this ceremony to Spotpaw, he has trained _extra_ hard to keep his place in the clan," Brindlestar praised, the apprentice shot out of the apprentices den and pelted into the centre of the clearing with his sides heaving and his chest puffed up. Cherrywhisker quickly ran after him and groomed his pelt with her soft tongue.

"Get off!" Spotpaw retorted. Cherrywhisker groomed him even harder and faster.

"Are you ready?" Brindlestar chuckled. Spotpaw managed to escape from his mother's grip and land in the centre once again.

"Yes," Spotpaw shouted with excitement, he had been forced to stop his apprentice training for 2 moons; he had also had to watch his sister, Briarleaf, and his denmate, Hopeflight, become warriors while he was healing. Once he had begun his training again he hadn't stopped until Birchthorn had asked Brindlestar if he could become a warrior.

"Well then, I, Brindlestar, leader of Roarclan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice as he has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn," Brindlestar called to her ancestors.

" _Very_ hard," Birchthorn echoed, a few cats chuckled in agreement but then fell silent so Brindlestar could continue with the ceremony.

"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan even at the cost of your life?" Brindlestar questioned the apprentice; he sat for a bit shaking and then quickly raised his head and puffed his chest out once more.

"I do," He agreed. Brindlestar nodded at the apprentice in respect for his courage.

"Then by the power of Starclan I give you your warrior name. From this moment on you shall be known as Spotface. Roarclan commends you on your determination and kind spirit," Brindlestar praised. Spotface nodded at his leader and waited for her to come down from the highcliff so they could touch noses. Spotface began to turn around but before he did, his clanmates began chanting.

"Spotface, Spotface!" Briarleaf, his sister, was the first to start, quickly followed by Hopeflight, Cherrywhisker and Toadleap, soon the whole clan was cheering for the new warrior.

"Wolfheart, you will be joining my patrol," Wolfheart felt a slight nudge to his side and turned to see Birchthorn standing beside him. Wolfheart nodded and saw Birchthorn face Pip and Screechclaw.

 _They must be the other two._ Wolfheart realised. They both made their way to the entrance and Wolfheart realised that Birchthorn was going too, he quickly trotted up beside him.

"We are going to the Thunderpath so be careful," Birchthorn ordered sternly. The three nodded in reply and followed him out of the camp; the sound of cheering cats was soon drowned out by the sounds of monsters as they roared along the hard earth of the Thunderpath. Wolfheart had only ever visited it once but he never dared to go near it, the sharp tang of the monsters hurt his eyes and nose.

"Yuck," Pip exclaimed, sniffing at the ground near the black surface.

"Pip, get away!" Birchthorn growled. The ginger and white tom quickly slid away from it

"There weren't even any monsters," Pip muttered under his breath. Birchthorn rolled his eyes and looked up and down the stretch of black earth.

"We aren't crossing that are we?" Screechclaw meowed in disgust.

"We have no choice, Brindlestar wants us to try and find some prey on the other side," Birchthorn retorted, Screechclaw sighed and padded up beside the tom.

"Great, now we have to drag prey over that foul-smelling thing," Pip groaned. Wolfheart gave him a supportive nudge.

"Think about all the prey that's going to be over there, that land isn't any clan's territory," Wolfheart's jaw dropped and he realised that he was slightly drooling, he quickly snapped it shut and gave his lips a quick lick to get rid of any drool left behind.

"Pip, Wolfheart, come here," Birchthorn demanded, they both quickly raced to his side and crouched down on either side, Wolfheart looked up and down the path and saw that no monsters were coming, he couldn't hear any either .

"What are we waiting for?" Screechclaw hissed in annoyance. Wolfheart saw his tail flick irritably.

"Go!" Birchthorn suddenly meowed, all four of them bolted across the surface and landed safely on the other side, but when Wolfheart turned around he saw Screechclaw standing in the centre, frozen with fear. He could hear a monsters faint roaring coming from the opposite end of the Thunderpath.

"Screechclaw, move!" Pip shouted, his meow was filled with horror but he didn't move to help their clanmate. Wolfheart saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Birchthorn leaping towards Screechclaw, the monster was now in view, its dark black pelt almost camouflaging with the hard earth it was running on. Wolfheart looked at Screechclaw once more and saw Birchthorn shove him off the path with his head but he stayed where he was on the surface, the monster was now only a fox-length away from him, Birchthorn didn't have a chance of running away, it had already seen him, Birchthorn crouched down low where he was and waited. The monster didn't stop, it was heading straight for him, Wolfheart didn't dare to look away.

 _I have to help him!_ Wolfheart felt as if his paws were buried in the ground, suddenly a loud thud hit the air. Birchthorn had been hit, the monster didn't stop to help him, instead it just kept heading in the same direction it had been going. Birchthorn's body lay limp on the ground, motionless.

"Birchthorn!" Screechclaw shrieked. He sprinted onto the Thunderpath, quickly followed by Pip. They both began to drag their deputy's body onto the Roarclan side of the path, Wolfheart quickly joined them.

"Birchthorn, say something," Pip whimpered, but Birchthorn didn't respond instead his body just lay dead on the ground. Wolfheart sat down beside his deputy's body and lowered his head in grief.

 _He's gone._


	8. Chapter 6

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 6**

Splashheart's paws itched with uneasiness and her dreams had been haunted by the image of a motionless cat lying on a long black surface, with bright lights flickering into her eyes every now and again. She quickly shot her eyes open and raised her head slightly to see nothing but darkness ahead of her.

 _Oh, how I wish I could escape from this darkness…_ Splashheart sighed. She felt Beaverstep stir beside her and realised that the toms ears were twitching and he was muttering something under his breath, even though his eyes were still closed. Splashheart wrapped her tail around his cold pelt and gave his ears rhythmic licks, he stopped fidgeting shortly after and began purring loudly.

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice conceded from above Splashheart. She quickly looked up and saw a white tom with creamy patches scattered along his body, she felt her pelt go hot with embarrassment.

"No, we were just waking, Patchfoot," Beaverstep's voice replied from beside Splashheart, the tom nodded and left the den.

"What were you dreaming about?" Splashheart asked the ginger tom. He didn't respond but his eyes glazed with fear.

"I don't dream" Beaverstep meowed sternly. Splashheart stood up and went to place her tail on his shoulder but he flinched away.

"You were twitching and muttering in your sleep," Splashheart was hurt that he rejected her comfort but she didn't show it.

"It doesn't mean I was dreaming, they're mostly nightmares," Beaverstep shuttered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Splashheart queried, he shook his head in reply before squeezing out of the den and leaving Splashheart alone. She followed him out and saw him talking to Patchfoot and a she-cat she didn't recognize. She decided to sit where she was and give her pelt a quick grooming, while she was rubbing her paw over her ear she saw that Beaverstep was heading towards her.

"I just wanted to say thank you for…what you did," Beaverstep meowed. Scuffing one of his paws against the ground awkwardly.

"I'm always here for you Beaverstep," Splashheart stepped closer to the tom, but he stepped away from her and stood squarely away from her.

"I'm sorry Splashheart, but I can't feel any emotion towards you," Beaverstep admitted. Splashheart felt as if her heart had broken into millions of pieces that were now sitting in her stomach, causing the spot where her heart sat to feel empty and hollow.

"Why? Am I not good enough for you?!" Splashheart retaliated. Her sadness now filling with hatred, Beaverstep took a step away from her in surprise.

"No, you don't get it do you?" Beaverstep retorted, stepping up so that he was taller than her, causing a shadow to fall across her body.

"Don't get what?" She whimpered. Crouching down low to the ground.

"I can't love you! I am incapable of any feeling, I am the reason that you and your pathetic littermates are down here," Beaverstep growled. Splashheart felt the world collapse around her.

 _He can't be serious? There has to be an explanation…_ Splashheart felt her eyes begin to cloud up and her cheeks became damp with tears.

"I never want to see any of you horrible, vile, fox-hearted cowards again!" Splashheart shouted to every cat in the clearing. She turned tail and fled from the crowd of cats, not daring to turn back. She hadn't even been paying attention to where she was running until she realised that she was heading straight toward the spot her brothers usually trained.

 _We have to escape from this awful place!_ Splashheart bellowed silently. She kept pelting through the forest until she was stopped by Swiftleap and Chestfall who were walking beside each other talking about their training sessions. As soon as they saw her they began to trot a little faster until eventually all three of them were standing beside each other.

"Splashheart, what's wrong?" Swiftleap asked. Splashheart shook her head slowly and collapsed to the ground in tears.

"He hates me! He never loved me!" Splashheart shrieked. Her voice filled with grief, her brothers laid down beside her, one on either side.

"Who hates you?" Chestfall pressed. Splashheart couldn't bear to speak his name so she sat in silence, with tears still gushing out of her eyes and onto the already damp earth beneath her.

"Splashheart, stand-up," Splashheart froze.

 _Why him?_ She raised her head slowly and glared at the tom that had broken her heart, as soon as she saw him she jumped up and leaped toward him. Suddenly feeling stronger than all of Starclan, Beaverstep tried to shove her off but he couldn't, she raised one of her paws unsheathed her claws and raked them across his cheek. Pressing down into his neck with the other, Beaverstep's breathing was becoming shallow and Splashheart realised that she was killing him.

"Do it…I don't deserve any…thing better…" Beaverstep menaced. Splashheart placed both her paws on his neck and pressed harder into his throat, just before his eyes closed she felt a huge weight crash into her side and saw Chestfall standing above her.

"Why would you do that?" She hissed, while watching Beaverstep regain consciousness.

"Because Splashheart, you don't kill, you heal," Chestfall advised. Splashheart looked at Beaverstep's cheek and her paws.

 _I nearly killed a cat…_ She shuddered. She took another look at Beaverstep and realised that he had a smug look on his face.

"You wanted me to kill you, didn't you?" Splashheart outraged. Beaverstep stood up unsteadily, obviously not fully fit yet.

"I didn't want to die, but I did want _you_ to kill me," Beaverstep smirked.

"Why?" Swiftleap queried.

"Because, that would have proven that this place corrupts its inhabitants, I wasn't always cruel and heartless. Once I was caring and I had a beautiful mate but that all changed when I did the unimaginable," Beaverstep chuckled, as if he was recalling his mistake and laughing about it.

"What did you do?" Chestfall meowed shakily. Beaverstep locked his gaze on Chestfall.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," Beaverstep joked, the three littermates looked at each other, with confusion and terror in their faces.

"Well I didn't kill you, so that means it doesn't corrupt the cats here," Splashheart snarled.

"Yes, but that's because you three are _alive_ ," Beaverstep put in. Splashheart felt as if her whole idea of this place had been crushed like a cat beneath a tree. Beaverstep turned around and walked away from the three, flicking his tail slightly in goodbye.

"We have to get out of here," The three littermates synchronized.


	9. Chapter 7

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 7**

Chestfall hadn't slept properly since their confrontation with Beaverstep. Him and his littermates had been sleeping all together in a different place each night just in case they were found, they would at least have a chance against their foes.

"Chestfall, are you awake?" Swiftleap whispered. Chestfall was awake but he didn't want his brother worrying so he stayed in his position, trying his hardest not to flinch. He heard Swiftleap place his head back in his paws and waited for his breathing to slow until he got up and padded out of their makeshift den. The darkness outside was foggy and made Chestfall uneasy because he couldn't see any further than his muzzle.

"Chestfall?" Chestfall flinched as a familiar she-cat's voice sounded from a mouse-length away from him.

"What do you want, Gorsefang?" Chestfall hissed. The she-cat padded closer to him so that he could see her light grey pelt, her green eyes acted like giant beams of light that shone through the fog.

"I heard what happened between Splashheart and Beaverstep, is she ok?" Gorsefang asked, her eyes filling with concern.

"She's fine, how did you find us?" Chestfall added. Gorsefang sat down where she was and began to clean her ear by rubbing her paw over it.

"I followed your scent trail, you know if you don't want me here I can go," Gorsefang meowed. Chestfall didn't know if he should trust his previous mentor or order her to leave so he decided to let her stay. He sat down outside the den that his littermates were in signalling that she stay.

"So why did you really come? Because I'm sure you didn't just come to check on Splashheart," Chestfall accused. He saw Gorsefang's claws unsheathe and sheathe into the ground showing that he was right.

"I just wanted to apologise about Beaverstep, but what he said wasn't all true, not all cats here are cruel and deprived of feeling," Gorsefang explained. Chestfall perked his ears up showing he was intrigued.

"How so?" Chestfall pressed.

"Well… This forest may corrupt its inhabitants but that doesn't mean it is always bad," Gorsefang explained. Chestfall realised that she was right, most of the cats that were here actually seemed like genuine cats.

"I suppose you're right," Chestfall admitted, lowering his head slightly.

"I've also come to warn you, Beaverstep is planning an attack on you three, and any cat that goes against him or doesn't obey his orders _will_ be killed," Gorsefang grieved. Chestfall stood up in surprise.

 _How can she be so sure that cats will be killed?_ Chestfall outraged.

"Aren't you breaking the code coming here then?" Chestfall exclaimed, Gorsefang's shoulders shrugged slightly.

"Yes I am but I figured that if we all fight against Beaverstep, we could get rid of him and his followers," Gorsefang retorted.

"Who's we?" Chestfall queried, as he spoke several cats slithered out from the fog and stood beside Gorsefang. Chestfall realised that most of them were cats he didn't recognize.

 _Does that mean Beaverstep purposely put us with his corrupted followers?_ Chestfall's neck fur rose at the thought.

"All these cats have agreed that Beaverstep needs to be stopped," Gorsefang meowed sternly. Chestfall nodded in respect to the cats, and they all did the same back towards him.

"We need a plan, I'll be right back," Chestfall ordered. He turned around and slid into the den where his littermates slept soundly, neither of them moved when he came in. He gave each of them a sharp prod with his paw but they didn't wake, he unsheathed one of his claws and poked their sides but they still didn't respond, just simply groaned.

"Get up, mouse-brains!" Gorsefang had appeared beside him and was shouting louder than a monster to attempt to wake them up, but they still didn't get up.

"What's wrong with them?" Chestfall fretted, he prodded each of them once more but they seemed as if they were dead.

 _Wake up, please!_ Chestfall pleaded silently.

"Minnowfall, can you get Hawkpaw for me?" Gorsefang called. A tom's voice called back in reply and shortly after a small but plump apprentice waltzed into the den, the little apprentice trotted past Chestfall with his head high and sat down next to Gorsefang. Gorsefang placed her paw over her mouth obviously holding back a bout of laughter.

"I'm at your service" Hawkpaw meowed proudly. puffing out his chest slightly while also quickly glancing at Chestfall.

"I need you to wake these two cats up," Gorsefang demanded kindly, waving her tail across the two sleeping cats. Hawkpaw nodded and immediately leaped towards Chestfall's littermates, landing squarely on their heads and squashing their faces into the ground. Both of them jumped up in surprise and flung Hawkpaw off of them so that he came flying towards Chestfall. Chestfall tried to dodge but Hawkpaw was already on top of him, squashing him with his weight. All three of the other warriors burst out in laughter, before Hawkpaw quickly got off and fled the den.

"Well at least you're awake," Chestfall puffed, giving his pelt a quick shake before facing his littermates and Gorsefang.

"I can't tell what woke me up, that apprentice or the apprentice flying onto Chestfall," Swiftleap joked. Chestfall glared at his brother.

"I don't think I've laughed that hard since Chestfall came into the medicine den with a bump bigger than all of Starclan on his head," Splashheart chuckled. Gorsefang looked at Chestfall and laughed once more.

"Yes, very funny now can we please discuss this plan?" Chestfall groaned. His littermates looked at him in confusion but Gorsefang simply nodded and left the den. Swiftleap and Splashheart followed her out while Chestfall took up the rear.


	10. Chapter 8

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 8**

"Swiftleap, you'll be with me?" A tom meowed to Swiftleap. Chestfall and a grey she-cat every cat named Gorsefang had come up with a plan to defeat Beaverstep and each of the cats had been organised into patrols with particular traits. Swiftleap had been placed in the sneak patrol. Splashheart was assigned to the heal patrol while Chestfall had joined the battle patrol.

"Why can't I be in the battle patrol?" A she-cat exclaimed in annoyance, she looked about the size of an apprentice.

 _What could have an apprentice done to have come here?_ Swiftleap wondered, a flicker of movement shone into his eyes and he turned to see Chestfall and Splashheart staring at him.

"We need to talk," Chestfall declared. Splashheart said nothing. Swiftleap agreed and followed them to a small clearing just out of earshot from the rest of the group.

"What is it?" Swiftleap asked his littermates. Chestfall sighed before facing him.

"Splashheart and I have come to an agreement" Chestfall meowed.

"What have you agreed on?" Swiftleap pressed, stepping a little closer in case any cats were listening.

"We have both agreed that if anything bad happens, that leads to…injuries, that we won't tell the clan when we return," Chestfall grieved. Swiftleap noticed his eyes were filled with concern and Splashheart's weren't any different.

"If it is what you wish then I agree, on one condition, we can tell our mother and our brother," Swiftleap agreed. Chestfall and Splashheart nodded reluctantly.

 _Were they really not going to tell them?_ Swiftleap commented to himself, he stood up and walked away from his littermates and back to his patrol, they both did the same.

"Swiftleap, this is no time for gossiping!" His patrol leader scolded. He quickly pelted to the group and followed them all out of the clearing. Their leader was heading towards his old training hollow, but just as he got close to it he turned and began to run, the rest of the patrol did the same until he came to a sudden stop.

"Each of you is to jump down these trees and into the sneak hollow below, this is where we will have our patrol meetings," The leader announced.

"What about the other patrols?" A she-cat called. Swiftleap couldn't see who it was but her voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"As far as your concerned, there aren't any other patrols, from now on we will be known as Sneakclan!" The tom replied, a few cats began chanting their new clan name while others simply stomped their feet hard on the ground causing the ground below to vibrate beneath Swiftleap's paws. It suddenly stopped and Swiftleap realised that their leader had raised his tail for silence. He jumped down from the tree stump he had been sitting on and started signalling cats down the trees. When Swiftleap's turn came he was a bit hesitant but he eventually got the hang of it, jumping from branch to branch until he was close enough to the ground. His clanmates all sat around a huge oak stump and waited for their leader to come down and sit on it.

"There he is!" A tom called. Swiftleap looked up and saw their leader leaping confidently down each branch, skipping a few at some points. Once he was close enough to the bottom he leaped down and landed silently on the ground and walked through his clan who had made a gap in between them. He jumped onto the stump and sat down so that he could face his clan.

"For those of you that do not know me, my name is Dustclaw, I will be leading this patrol," Dustclaw meowed to his clan, a few murmurs flew around the clearing but they soon fell silent so Dustclaw could continue.

"You'd think he'd be called Duststar," A cat mocked, followed by a cheeky laugh from another cat.

"Each of you have been personally selected, because you were great hunters in your previous clans. But not only are you great hunters but you also have great speed, agility and you're very light on your feet" Dustclaw praised. A few cats around Swiftleap nodded in agreement

"So what will that mean in the battle?" Swiftleap queried. Dustclaw and the rest of his clan turned around to look at Swiftleap.

"Good question, our patrol will be the first patrol that go into the battle, we will be attacking from above and below, while the battle patrol will attack in the centre of the battle," Dustclaw explained, agitated mutters spilt into the clearing.

"Why can't we fight, properly?"

"What's the point of fighting from above if there is a battle patrol?"

"How come the heal patrol don't do anything?" Soon after the clearing was filled with quarrelling cats, each having a different opinion. Swiftleap's head whirled at all of the accusations and he tried to block out the noise but it just seemed to be getting louder.

"Silence!" A she-cat growled. The clan fell silent once more and stared at her, her pelt was a dazzling silver and it seemed to be latched to the side of her lithe shape.

"Thank you, Reedpelt," Dustclaw nodded at the she-cat. She nodded as well without facing Dustclaw then proceeded to sit down, and glare at the clan.

"She's scary," A tom whimpered.

"She's amazing," Another tom gawked.

"Mouse-brain!" The first tom remarked, the two happened to be right next to Swiftleap and both of them had started play-fighting.

"Gingerfall, Shredspring, stop at once!" The two stopped quarrelling and looked at their leader. Gingerfall, the one that had commented on Reedpelt's beauty, was staring straight at her, while she held back a _mroww_ of laughter with her paw.

"She's looking at me, straighten up, flea-brain!" Gingerfall gave Shredspring a harsh nudge with his side which caused Shredspring to fall sideways and land on the ground with a loud thump. He muttered something under his breath before getting up and sitting beside his friend, Swiftleap gave a little smirk because the two reminded him of him and his brother.

 _I would give anything to see him just one more time._


	11. Chapter 9

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 9**

A slight drizzle had begun to fall on the forest but Wolfheart wasn't affected by it, his heart ached too deeply for his dead deputy. His clanmates had given up on the hunt and were taking Birchthorn's body back to camp. Wolfheart and Pip were the ones carrying Birchthorn's motionless corpse while Screechclaw stayed in front. Screechclaw was convinced that Birchthorn's death had been his fault so he had been the most shaken up but that didn't mean Wolfheart and Pip weren't shaken up as well. Pip hadn't said anything but every now and again his eyes would begin to water and tears would fall slowly out of them onto the damp ground. Wolfheart had been trying his best to block to out the horror of losing his deputy but every time he breathed he felt as if a waft of Birchthorn fell into his lungs and caused him to feel helpless.

"Come Swamppaw, it is beginning to rain, have you got what you need?" Wolfheart heard his mother's voice from further in front of them. She had been helping the apprentice with medicine cat duties while Splashheart was gone.

"I smell death," The apprentice shuddered. Screechclaw froze ahead of them; Pip and Wolfheart carefully put Birchthorn's body down and stepped forward to help the tom but before they could Swamppaw walked out from behind the low hanging branch that had stopped them in their tracks. The little apprentice's eyes filled with horror at the sight of Birchthorn's motionless body. Lightwhisker appeared out after him and immediately placed her paw over the young tom's eyes but he slid out of her grip and sprinted to Birchthorn's side.

"I'm sorry, there was nothing we could have done," Wolfheart explained to the apprentice. Pip and Screechclaw had their heads lowered and were sitting down next to the tree that Swamppaw and Lightwhisker had come out from behind of. The light drizzle of rain had become heavier and shortly after all the cat's pelts were soaked right to the muzzle.

"We must get him back to camp," Swamppaw ordered, obviously trying to hold back his grief. Wolfheart nodded at Pip who stood up and gently picked up Birchthorn's wet body. Wolfheart did the same, they quickly arrived back in camp where they were all greeted by the shocked gasps of cats. Brindlestar was the first to rush to his side; she was quickly followed by Coalface, Shredflame and Appleskip.

"What happened?" Brindlestar demanded. Appleskip collapsed at Birchthorn's side and gave his head a slight nudge with her nose. His body was so limp that it collapsed as soon as her nose unattached itself from him; she placed her face on his flank and began crying.

"He was hit by a monster on the Thunderpath," Pip whimpered. Brindlestar's eyes filled with horror, she looked at her deputy and they suddenly became glazed with fear.

"Brindlestar, are you alright?" Lightwhisker fretted. The she-cat looked at her and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bring his body to the centre of the clearing, I need to appoint a new deputy," Brindlestar ordered. Wolfheart and Pip obeyed her order and lifted his body into the centre of the clearing. Brindlestar lead the way but she turned off at the path that twisted its way up to the highcliff.

"Is that Birchthorn?" A horrified voice sounded from beside Wolfheart, it was Sagewillow.

"Cats old enough to catch their own prey, please meet here for a clan meeting," Brindlestar called. A few annoyed murmurs rang throughout the clearing because of the rain but they soon were silent when they saw their deputy.

"Birchthorn, no!" Moonpelt's grief-stricken meow split into the clearing louder than the pouring rain that was smashing into the clearing. Each cat from the clearing watched her as she whimpered over to her ex-mate.

"As most of you may already know, Birchthorn, the deputy, friend and kin of Roarclan has passed on into Starclan's hunting grounds, he will be missed dearly and I wish him good hunting," Brindlestar praised the dead deputy. Wolfheart heard a cat fidget beside him and saw Tumblefoot standing up beside him. The tom walked slowly to centre of the clearing beside Birchthorn's body and sat down next to his mother.

"My father may not have been the best father when it came to attention but I knew deep down that he loved me and Sweettuft dearly. I hope that she welcomes him into Starclan well, but even if I never got the chance to say it, I loved him and I will always love him for the cat he became and not what he was," Tumblefoot grieved. Wolfheart lowered his head in respect for the warrior.

"Thank you Tumblefoot, as the warrior code states, I must choose a new deputy before the full moon rises," Brindlestar added. A few cats stood up to show that they were determined but Wolfheart didn't bother, he didn't want the responsibility of leading the clan beside Brindlestar and he knew she wouldn't pick him after what happened in the dark forest.

"It better be me, I've done the most work in this clan" Whitenose whispered to Toadleap. The black and white tom glared at him.

"If any cat is going to get it, it will be me," Toadleap replied sharply. Whitenose gave him a harsh nudge and the two began quarrelling.

"Lightwhisker, would you please step forward?" Brindlestar queried. The two toms froze and split apart, their gazes filled with surprise. Wolfheart looked away from them and located his mother sitting a fox-length away from the fresh-kill pile, her eyes filled with bedazzlement. She saw him staring at her and slowly stood up so that she could pad to the centre of the clearing. Brindlestar leaped down from the highcliff and met her below the highcliff.

"Are you sure about this?" Lightwhisker questioned her leader. Brindlestar smiled and nodded at the she-cat.

"Lightwhisker, will be the new deputy of Roarclan, meaning that she will take over when I pass on to Starclan," Brindlestar meowed. Cats began to cheer for their new deputy, Wolfheart included. He quickly pelted to his mother's side and gave her ear a swift lick.

"I don't think any cat is more fit for the title then you are," Wolfheart praised his mother. He heard a slight purr rise in her throat and she rubbed herself against him.

"I hope your father is watching, he'd be so proud of the cat you've become," Lightwhisker purred. Wolfheart simply smiled at his mother.

 _If only she knew..._


	12. Chapter 10

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 10**

Chestfall leaped at his attacker and landed squarely on their back, making sure to grip down hard so he wouldn't lose grip. They thrashed about and bucked up and down to try and throw him off but Chestfall only gripped harder. Soon they collapsed to the ground and took Chestfall with them, but he quickly jumped off and stood above them.

"Nice job," Chestfall puffed, his chest aching at the amount of air that it was filling with. The cat he had been fighting stood up and nodded at him before slowly heading to edge of the clearing, where the battle clan had organised a resting den. Chestfall didn't need to rest; he just needed to catch his breath.

"Chestfall, come over here!" A she-cat's voice called to Chestfall from across the clearing, near the claw-mark tree. He padded over to her and realised it was Gorsefang, she was sitting impatiently and her tail was tapping with annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Chestfall grunted, she sneered at him and looked up the tree. Chestfall did the same and realised that their leader, Honeyface, was bounding down the tree toward them. The muscular tom jumped from the last tree branch and landed with a loud thud on the ground. Chestfall bowed his head at their leader before facing him to let him speak.

"That is the third cat that you have sent to the resting den," Honeyface scolded. Chestfall whimpered to the ground, below his leader. He quickly glanced at Gorsefang who looked just as surprised as him. Chestfall stood up and fluffed himself out so that he was the same size as the muscular tom.

"I thought that was the point! There wouldn't be a resting den for our foes, they would be dead," Chestfall retorted. Honeyface's gaze filled with regret and then he gave Chestfall a smug look.

"Told you he was fit for the task," Gorsefang chuckled, before bounding away and back into battle training. Chestfall tipped his head in confusion.

"What task?" Chestfall wondered aloud. Honeyface began to walk away, signalling with his tail for Chestfall to follow.

"Gorsefang told me something that struck me with surprise but I now understand why she told me," Honeyface praised.

 _Does he know that I'm not dead?_

"What did she tell you?" Chestfall meowed, edgily.

"You are going to be leading BattleClan beside me," Honeyface exclaimed. Chestfall froze, his head became dazed and he felt as if a rock had been lodged deep in his stomach.

"Lead…beside you…as your d-deputy?" Chestfall stammered. Honeyface nodded.

"Is something wrong?" Honeyface queried. Chestfall gave his head a quick shake.

"No, it's an honour, I just don't understand, why me? There are so many great cats out here and you happened to pick the newest arrival?" Chestfall wondered aloud. Honeyface's eyes filled with sadness.

"I thought you would have been glad?" Honeyface whined. Chestfall sat beside his leader and placed his tail gently on the tom's shoulder.

"I'm as glad as an apprentice at their warrior ceremony, I just wish there was a reason," Chestfall soothed.

"You are a very odd cat; you know? You're very good at training and you hardly ever get tired, that is why I chose you because you are unique," Honeyface preached. Chestfall felt his pelt go hot with embarrassment.

"Thank you, I will gladly fight beside you," Chestfall agreed. Honeyface stood up and waited for Chestfall to do the same, and the two padded back to the makeshift camp together. Once they arrived back, Chestfall was bombarded with she-cats, Gorsefang was at the rear of all of them.

"Can you please give your new deputy some room?" Honeyface hissed. The she-cats edged away from him, Gorsefang padded through them all confidently and nodded her respect at Chestfall and Honeyface before approaching Chestfall.

"I knew you could do it," Gorsefang purred. Chestfall gave the she-cat a sympathetic look before rubbing himself against her, her purr became louder and the she-cats around Chestfall all gasped, a few of them snickered at the two.

"I couldn't have done it, if it weren't for you," Chestfall gave the she-cat a swift lick along the ear, Gorsefang teared away from him.

"You should go do some deputying" She joked, giving him a little shove with her tail.

 _Did I do something wrong?_ Chestfall thought but before he could ask, she was gone in a crowd of she-cats asking her about him.

"Chestfall, I need you," Honeyface called. Chestfall trotted over to his leader and saw that he had three apprentices standing near him.

"What seems to be the problem?" Chestfall asked, the three apprentices gawked at his presence.

"These three apprentices don't know how to fight in a group of three, can you teach them?" Honeyface asked. Chestfall gave each one a thoughtful look and then looked back at Honeyface.

"That should be fine," Chestfall replied. The three apprentices perked up in surprise. Honeyface nodded and left Chestfall with the three.

"Wow! What do you want us to do first?" A black tom exclaimed. Chestfall realised that the other two were staring at him as well, their eyes filled with determination.

"First, I want to know each of your names," Chestfall ordered jokily.

"I'm Sootpaw," The black tom answered. A little brown tom leaped over the top of him and fumbled at Chestfall's paws.

"I…I'm Ferretpaw…" He stammered. Chestfall gave the little tom a slight nod, the last apprentice stayed where he was.

"What's your name?" Chestfall meowed hesitantly; the tom stood up and padded calmly towards him.

"I'm Kestrelpaw," He replied sternly, the other two were latched to Chestfall's legs.

"Show me what you can do," Chestfall demanded, all three of them leaped at each other and soon became a matt of fur and claws.

"So, how's your first training session going?" Chestfall looked up and saw Gorsefang splayed out along a branch with her tail dangling down. Chestfall didn't reply but he felt his pelt go hot with embarrassment.


	13. Chapter 11

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 11**

"Splashheart, come here at once!" A voice kicked Splashheart out of her daydream and back into the present. It was Sparrowfall, the leader of HealClan. Splashheart quickly pelted to her side.

"What's wrong?" Splashheart fretted. Sparrowfall shoved a pile of herbs toward Splashheart.

"These need to be put into bundles so that we are prepared for the battle," Sparrowfall ordered. Splashheart nodded and began spreading them out so she could organise them.

"Uh Sparrowfall, Weaselflight and I have detected hints of Darkclan along our border," Splashheart turned around to see the deputy of Healclan, Hollynose, standing in front of Sparrowfall with Weaselflight accompanying her. The patrols had named the rest of the dark forest Darkclan because it was easier.

"Show me, Splashheart keep organising those herbs," Sparrowfall demanded. Splashheart rolled her eyes and then locked them back on the herbs below her. Splashheart didn't exactly like Sparrowfall but she did respect the clan's choice in electing her as the leader.

"Need some help?" A tom's voice surprised Splashheart causing her to stand up and accidentally slip onto the pile of herbs she had organised, she immediately stood back up again, her pelt hot with rage and embarrassment.

"What's wrong with you?" Splashheart outraged, she faced the tom and realised quickly after that she was speaking to one of the wisest and most experienced medicine cats of all the clans. Unfortunately he came from Breezeclan but since medicine cats didn't believe in borders she respected him deeply, she quickly bowed her head in apology but he stopped her halfway with his tail.

"It's alright, I can understand your frustration," He soothed. She gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks before facing him once more.

"I would appreciate the help," Splashheart admitted. The two of them began organising the messed up pile and they were soon good friends.

"So what made you want to be a medicine cat? It's a pretty big responsibility," The tom queried. Splashheart looked back on the night she had wandered into the medicine den instead of the dirtplace where she was greeted by Lilysnow who told her everything about being a medicine cat.

"I was on my way to the dirtplace as a kit when I accidentally found myself in the medicine den," Splashheart meowed, a slight tone of laughter to her voice.

"Well I remember back before I became Ferretwish, I was the clumsiest apprentice and that made me think I was useless until I met Cherryclaw, she taught me everything I needed to know about being a medicine cat," Ferretwish explained. Splashheart listened in awe.

 _I can't ever imagine him being clumsy…_ Splashheart thought.

"Splashheart! How dare you speak to him," Splashheart heard Sparrowfall's annoyed meow split into the clearing, she turned around to see her stomping towards them. Ferretwish stood up and glared at Sparrowfall.

"How dare you leave one amazing and talented young cat to organise herbs?" Ferretwish retorted. Sparrowfall stopped and scuffed her forepaw along the ground in embarrassment.

 _Wait how did he get here?_ Splashheart had only just realised that one of the most well-known medicine cats was in the dark forest. _Are all the cats here evil?_ Splashheart looked around and saw that most of the cats around her didn't have the same eerie glow that the dark forest cats did.

"All of you can't be dark forest cats, what's going on here?" Splashheart exclaimed. All the cats around her went silent and stared at her, she looked at Ferretwish who had a deep sympathy in his eyes.

"Come with me," He meowed calmly. Splashheart followed him out into the forest, where he stopped at an old juniper bush and sat down.

"I demand an explanation!" Splashheart hissed, suddenly losing all her respect for this cat.

"And I will give you one," Ferretwish soothed but Splashheart wasn't soothed by his comment, instead she got more agitated because he wasn't telling her.

"Well go on," Splashheart declared. Ferretwish sighed.

"The only reason most of these cats aren't dark like Darkclan is because when Starclan found out you three were down here, they had no choice but to send cats down here to protect you," Ferretwish reported. Splashheart still wasn't convinced.

"Then why are you still down here? Why is there going to be a huge battle? Why can't you just take us back?" Splashheart fussed. Ferretwish looked bombarded by her questions.

"We have to stay down here and protect you and the reason there is going to be a battle is because we are fighting for you," Ferretwish retaliated. Splashheart froze.

 _Why are we so important?_ Splashheart felt sick at the thought that all of Starclan and Darkclan were fighting over her and her littermates.

"What happens if you die?" Splashheart whined, her heart began to ache.

"We are willing to take that risk," Ferretwish placed his tail on her shoulder and allowed her to lean against him.

"I just don't understand why we are so important," Splashheart wondered aloud. Ferretwish began to rub her flank gently with his tail.

"You just are," He purred.


	14. Chapter 12

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 12**

Wolfheart felt the soft feather filled moss beneath him as he drifted off to sleep, he heard the silent breaths of his clanmates around him but somewhere in the clearing he could hear a few silent murmurs.

"How do you know they're sleeping?" A she-cat's voice was the first he heard followed by another.

"I just do, now shut up," The second voice sounded a bit deeper as if it was from an agitated tom.

"Ravenpaw, Grasspaw, hurry up," The first she-cat's voice ordered. Their murmurs had now become loud whispering that Wolfheart could hear clearly. He stood up and made his way out of the warrior's den.

"What are you four doing up?" Wolfheart hissed, the four apprentices froze and each one slowly turned their heads around to face Wolfheart.

"We were…going to get some more prey…" Russetpaw quickly assured. Wolfheart stared at him, making sure that Russetpaw could see his doubt.

"You know the rules, no hunting or patrolling after the clan sleeps," Wolfheart declared, the apprentices all looked at their paws in regret.

"We're sorry, Wolfheart," Ravenpaw admitted. Wolfheart suddenly felt a deep sympathy for the young cats, he still remembered when he was an apprentice as if he had only become a warrior yesterday.

"That's alright, just don't let it happen again, now hurry back to bed before an owl gets you," Wolfheart chuckled. All the apprentices squeaked in surprise and scurried along back to their den, with their ears perked and alert for any sign of danger.

 _Wolfheart…help us…_ Wolfheart heard a silent whisper drift into his ears, it sounded like multiple cats were speaking at once.

"Who's there?" Wolfheart demanded, the voice didn't reply.

"Wow, you must have pretty good senses," Wolfheart turned around and saw Leafclaw slowly walking out of the den, the she-cat looked old and frail.

"Oh ah… Yeah, I could have heard from the other side of the clearing," Wolfheart joked. Leafclaw glared at him and he quickly realised that she could have taken that the wrong way.

"You're probably right, these old legs have become like tree trunks, and my tail is never perking up anymore," Leafclaw whined. Wolfheart shot to her side and gave the she-cat a few sympathetic licks.

"You are probably the most determined and strong cat I know, don't ever doubt that," Wolfheart soothed in between licks. Leafclaw began purring silently.

"You have a kind spirit, Wolfheart, I'll always remember that about you," Leafclaw was obviously very confused. Wolfheart heard the apprentices start snickering at what the old warrior had said, he hissed silently towards the den and the snickering immediately fell silent.

"Your speaking as if you know something is going to happen" Wolfheart fretted, he looked back at the she-cat but she had dozed off beside him with her tail covering her nose. Wolfheart gave her a few prods with his paw but she didn't budge.

"I'm only teasing Wolfheart, I respect you and I would never forget your name," Leafclaw didn't move but he heard her muffled meow from behind her tail.

"Why are you speaking like that?" Wolfheart queried. Leafclaw removed her tail from her muzzle and looked at the tom.

"I will be moving to the elder's den, Roarclan has enough experienced warriors, it doesn't need me to protect it, plus there are four spritely young apprentices over there that I imagine will be fine warriors," Leafclaw praised. Wolfheart respected her decision but he didn't reply, instead he gave the she-cat a respectful nod. She nodded her head in reply and stood up shakily before walking back into the warrior's den.

"Great, now there's more ticks to clean out," Russetpaw groaned. Wolfheart rolled his eyes towards the apprentice's den before following Leafclaw back inside, when he knew that she was safely in her nest he backed out into the clearing and went to the apprentice's den. He heard a few whispers as he drew closer but his paw steps were too heavy so they must have heard him coming because they went quiet.

"Ravenpaw, I need to speak with you," Wolfheart called quietly, he heard the quiet sound of paw steps manoeuvring their way out of the den, soon after the she-cat's bright green eyes were shimmering in the darkness toward him.

"Yes?" She squeaked, he signalled her with his tail to come closer so she did.

"You will be joining Grasspaw and Whitenose's training session tomorrow," Wolfheart explained. The she-cat's eyes became tiny slits that were barely noticeable through the darkness.

"Why?" Ravenpaw pressed. Wolfheart bit back a sharp retort before replying calmly.

"My mother has asked me to come on a search patrol, she is still convinced that my littermates are alive," Wolfheart whined. Ravenpaw sat beside him and reached her tail so that it was touching his shoulder gently.

"Well she's right not to give up hope," Ravenpaw praised. Wolfheart nodded and allowed her to go back to her nest. He waited until she was out of sight until he started padding back to the warrior's den. Once he arrived he climbed into the entrance and curled up into his nest where he drifted off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 13

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 13**

Chestfall sat beside his leader atop the great boulder, he looked down on his clan and realised that each and every one of them was ready for the battle. They all had muscly pelts that rippled each time they moved, their eyes were filled with determination and they were all listening carefully to their leader. Chestfall looked at Honeyface as well, the leader was marking lines into the boulder as he spoke, his massive claws didn't seem affected by the rough stone but they made the most ear-pitching noise every time they raked the surface.

"Chestfall will lead another lot of you off this way," Honeyface scored the stone once more with his claw while telling his clan what they would be doing. Chestfall looked at the lines with confusion.

 _What's that?_ Chestfall looked at a line that had overlapped every one of the lines.

"Honeyface, what is this patrol doing?" Chestfall queried, pointing at the line.

"This patrol will be splitting and assisting each patrol," Honeyface replied. Chestfall noticed that none of the lines had been going behind Darkclan.

"But if instead of that we send the patrol this way, they could attack from behind which would then mean we could corner Darkclan," Chestfall poked out one of his claws and scored a line into the stone. He flinched at the tingling feeling but he didn't stop, Honeyface watched on intently as he explained his plan.

"I like your thinking. Copperfang, you will lead that patrol and make sure to take diligent cats that won't be seen easily, we don't want any slip-ups," Honeyface advised. Copperfang nodded and began to gather his patrol. Chestfall noticed that most of the cats he was picking had a dark appearance.

"Honeyface, are we going to meet with the other clans to explain how the battle will work?" A she-cat called, Honeyface shook his head.

"There will be no need for that, the other clans know what they are doing," Honeyface answered, he turned around and padded to Chestfall's side.

"Would you like me to assign the leaders of each patrol?" Chestfall asked. Honeyface nodded in reply and kept going so he could eventually leap down from the boulder, Chestfall followed him down where he was quickly greeted by Gorsefang.

"Great thinking back there, for a mouse-brain," Gorsefang joked. Chestfall cuffed her ear with his tail lightly, she did the same to him with her paw, soon the two were play fighting in a heap of fur and sheathed paws, it quickly stopped when Chestfall had pinned her down against the ground.

"I have to organise the battle patrols, you'll be with me," Chestfall added. Gorsefang shoved him off and nodded.

"I'll help," She declared, they both padded into the centre of the mass of cats, side by side with their pelts brushing.

"Crowspirit, you will be leading the major patrol, pick cats you think are the most persistent and willing to fight the hardest," Chestfall ordered. The grey tom nodded his head and began choosing cats to join him.

"Mistycloud, you will be backup for Crowspirit, when his warriors get tired, you will come in from behind and help, make sure to pick cats that are very well prepared for this task," Gorsefang advised. The grey tabby she-cat nodded and began acquiring cats fit for the task.

"And last but not least, Sunfoot, you will be bringing up the sides, so you will need to pick another cat to lead beside you because your patrol will split in two so that either side will be filled, make sure the cats you pick are tough and fast," Chestfall ordered. The golden tom twitched his tail in agreement and began selecting cats.

"What about your patrol?" Gorsefang asked. Chestfall looked around and realised that there were a group of cats bundled together who weren't being picked. Chestfall trotted over to them and surveyed his eyes across them, they were kind of a mix of everything, a few were skinny, a few were muscly, a few were tiny, a few were large and some of them even had everything.

"All of you will be part of our patrol," Chestfall meowed, they all looked up at him in surprise.

"Us? But we aren't well prepared or strong or even good at fighting," A tom whimpered. Chestfall gave each of them a thoughtful look.

"Well soon you will be the most remembered and honoured cats in the whole forest, because my patrol is going to be the first into the battle beside Honeyface," Chestfall praised, they all looked at him in awe.

"Wow, how will we ever be fit for the task?" A she-cat added. Chestfall gave her a smug look.

"We train, train hard," He replied sternly.

"Feel the mud between your claws, Wolfdrop and you, Mallowstream, get your face buried in those thorns until you can feel them gouging into your skull!" Chestfall shouted at his clanmates, so that his voice could be heard over the top of the roaring thunder, they all looked exhausted but they weren't complaining.

"Argh! There's something latched around my leg, I'm stuck!" A she-cat's terrified shriek split into the air, over the pouring rain. Chestfall headed towards where her voice had come from, he eventually saw her and realised that she was sinking into the mud.

"Stop! Somebody get me a stick or a tendril!" Chestfall demanded. Chestfall tried to reach her with his teeth but she was too deep in the mud, he felt a sudden prod in his side and turned to see Buzzardfur and Tallsong holding a large tendril in their jaws. He told them pass it down to the she-cat, her name was Bluestripe. Chestfall remembered teaching her how to climb trees in an earlier training session.

"Grab onto it with your teeth," Tallsong instructed through a mouthful of tendril. She tried to reach it but before she could a sudden squelch came from the mud and she fell deeper into it. Chestfall that he had no choice but to leap in with her, he stepped back and proceeded to leap off the edge and into the sticky mud, he felt it sucking on his legs and pulling him under but he didn't panic.

"Grab onto me and I'll grab onto the branch," Chestfall told Bluestripe his plan. She nodded and managed to set her front legs free so she could latch onto his back, her weight caused them to fall in quicker but Chestfall grabbed a hold of the tendril so that they could be hoisted to safety. He felt his legs get set free from the sticky mud and he felt as if they were breathing, he could feel Bluestripe's breathing steadying as they got closer to the edge and when they eventually made it he carefully laid her down so that she could calm down.

"Thank you, I thought I was gone for good that time…" Bluestripe puffed. Chestfall realised that she must have been thinking of her original death.

"I wouldn't have let that happen," Chestfall soothed. He sat beside the she-cat and gave her shoulder a few rhythmic licks to attempt to soothe her but her body seemed to be frozen with shock. He then decided to lie down next to her until she eventually drifted off to sleep.

"What now?" Buzzardfur asked, Chestfall looked up at the tom.

"That's enough training for one day, tell every cat that they should find a place to rest," Chestfall advised. Buzzardfur nodded and pelted off to tell the rest of the patrol.


	16. Chapter 14

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 14**

Swiftleap's whiskers quivered at the thought that any cat could jump out at him at any time. Dustclaw had created a training exercise where a cat would be placed in a heap of trees with dense bushes surrounding them so that way the cat would have to use their skills to escape but there would be other cats lurking in the trees and bushes, ready to pounce.

Swiftleap was the cat in the centre, all of his senses were alert for danger, suddenly a twig snapped behind him, he quickly turned around and saw nothing, he parted his jaws to try and smell something but whatever it was had been disguised by the eerie smell of the dark forest. Swiftleap wrinkled his nose at something he didn't recognize, he heard heavy paw steps heading straight for him, a sudden flash of movement hit his eyes and he turned to face it, it was Dustclaw, his eyes were filled with horror and fierceness.

"Get back to camp as fast as you can and tell every cat to hide, now!" Dustclaw demanded. Swiftleap nodded and pelted back to camp, just before he was out of sight he turned back and saw Dustclaw leap up into the trees above him. Swiftleap turned his head back around and began a sprint, once he arrived in camp he gave a huge mewl to alert the busy clan.

"Everyone hide! Now!" He screeched. The cats began to panic and run around carelessly. Swiftleap rolled his eyes in annoyance and went to mewl again but before he could a loud growl sounded from a top the great beech, it was Reedpelt, her eyes were glazed with fury.

"All of you mouse-brains better hide or I will personally rip your ears off of your numb skulls!" She growled, her pelt bristling with rage. Once the mass of the clan had made it up into the trees and the others in the dense bushes around the clearing she leaped down and headed for Swiftleap.

"Do you know what's happening?" Swiftleap queried, she nodded but didn't answer him directly.

"Come with me," she ordered. Swiftleap followed her out of the clearing and into a hollowed out tree with a tiny opening at the bottom. Swiftleap hesitated as he looked at the tiny gap but Reedpelt slid confidently through it. Swiftleap followed her but just as he was about to get in fully his paw got caught on a bramble thicket, he yanked on it harshly and after a few attempts his paw slid into the tree with the rest of him.

"Argh…" He hissed silently. Reedpelt gave his paw and careful sniff, her body twitched slightly and she began to lick Swiftleap's paw. He winced with pain as her tongue grazed the cut but after a few licks he became soothed by her soft rasps, she stopped shortly after.

"Does that feel better?" She asked, he nodded and then sat upright.

"How do you do it?" Swiftleap wondered aloud. Reedpelt looked at him with confusion.

"Do what?" Reedpelt pressed. Swiftleap perked one of his ears upwards at a sudden thudding heading towards them. Reedpelt had noticed it too, shortly after a shadow appeared over the hole they had squeezed through, only a paw could be seen but it quickly disappeared afterward and a several paws began to race pass.

"They were here, keep going and any cat you find that you don't know, show no mercy towards them," A tom's voice assessed. Swiftleap felt Reedpelt press closer to his side and he looked over to see that she was staring at the hole, her eyes were filled with terror and she didn't blink. Swiftleap placed his paw on hers but she flinched away without facing him, her gaze still locked on the hole. Swiftleap was hurt but he didn't say anything.

"Wait, who's that?" A she-cat hissed. Swiftleap leaned closer to the hole, making sure he wasn't seen, he saw a ginger tom sniffing a few bushes in the clearing. _Gingerfall!_ He moved his head aside to allow Reedpelt to see, she froze when she saw who it was and tried to squeeze out of the hole. Swiftleap quickly grabbed her and pinned her down, she squirmed beneath him.

"Please let me help him," she whimpered silently. Swiftleap looked away from her and held her down harder; she began to thrash harder below his paws. She gave a loud squeak and Swiftleap immediately shoved his paw over her mouth.

"I heard something," A tom whispered. Swiftleap pulled Reedpelt back further, being careful not to be too quick in case he alerted the curious cats.

"Well I can't smell anything," A she-cat retorted. The tom's shadow left the hole and Swiftleap breathed a sigh of relief. Reedpelt had stopped moving beneath him so he let her go, she lay still and placed her head in her paws. Swiftleap heard the cats from the outside begin to move and suddenly a loud pain-stricken shriek hit the air followed by a loud snap, that echoed in the silence after it.

"Keep going, there's no one else here," A tom reported, the paws bolted past the tree Swiftleap and Reedpelt were hiding in, and as soon as they were out of earshot Reedpelt smashed into the side of the tree, smashing a larger hole into its side. Swiftleap followed her out, when she saw the motionless body in the clearing she slowed down her run until she was eventually walking over to it. It was Gingerfall, he was dead.

"Oh no, Gingerfall!" Reedpelt screeched, her meow was full of grief and sadness, they arrived next to his body together and Reedpelt used Swiftleap as support. She buried her face into his chest and began sobbing.

"I'm sure he's in a better place now," Swiftleap soothed. Reedpelt began to sob harder and Swiftleap could feel her tears drenching his chest.

"It's all my fault, I could have helped him, but now he's gone and I'll never see him again!" She grieved through a mouthful of fur. Swiftleap had only just realised what she meant, when a cat dies as a dead cat, they don't come back. Swiftleap felt a tear run down his cheek and onto Reedpelt's shoulder, the rest of the clan began to surround Gingerfall's body.

"And then was all like…" It was Shredspring that had sounded over the silence, he froze when he saw his brother's body.

"Shredspring, I'm so sorry…" It was Swiftleap who spoke up and comforted the tom, he didn't move away from Reedpelt but he turned to look at the distraught tom.

"No!" Shredspring wailed, he pelted to his brother's side and collapsed onto him in tears, the clan watched on as the tom poured out in tears.


	17. Chapter 15

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 15**

Splashheart stared in horror as a group of dark cats swarmed toward her. Their eyes were locked on her meaning she didn't have a chance to run. She crouched down and shoved her head into her paws, ready to accept her fate. She listened to the sound of their paws smashing into the ground like thunder, suddenly it stopped, she looked up and saw her clanmates sleeping soundly around her.  
She looked at her nest and then at herself, she was covered in tufts of moss and her fur was flying out everywhere, she gave herself a quick grooming before placing her head on the ground and covering her nose with her tail. She lay still for a bit but sleep would not come so she decided to stand up and go out into the clearing, none of the clan was awake, not even Sparrowfall was awake. Splashheart could barely see the tip of her muzzle in front of her because of the early darkness that seeped into the clearing, she sat for a bit thinking about her old clan life, then the clearing gradually became lighter so she decided to go out and look for a few herbs.  
She went to the deserted patch of yarrow to see if anything was growing but it looked as dead as it did a few days ago as if nothing had grown here in moons, she made her way to the row of trees that made a pathway through the centre of the forest. As she was walking she heard a pounding sound a little further away from her, she looked beside her and saw that a few pebbles were shaking on the ground next to her, she realised that her dream was happening so she quickly sprinted back to the clearing and straight to Sparrowfall's den. The brown she-cat was sleeping silently in her nest with her legs tightly squeezed underneath her and her tail wrapped over her nose.

"Yes?" The she-cat groaned, opening one of her eyes so that it was only just visible over her bushy tail.

"Thank Starclan, you're awake, it's Darkclan! They're coming!" Splashheart fretted. Sparrowfall's head shot up and her eyes glazed with fear.

"Wake everyone up now and tell them to hide," Sparrowfall instructed. Splashheart nodded even though she was confused that the she-cat wanted to hide instead of fight, she left the den and noticed that Sparrowfall had followed her out. They both leaped down from the tree where Sparrowfall's den was located and pelted over to the warrior's den, their paws were synchronized as they made their way toward them. Once they arrived Sparrowfall stepped in front of the entrance and ducked her head in, she then made a low caterwaul that was still loud enough to wake the warriors up. Splashheart perked her ears upwards to try and hear the approaching Darkclan, their thundering pawsteps were now even clearer and they must only be a few moments away.

"Sparrowfall, they are getting closer," Splashheart meowed shakily, the leader didn't respond she just kept making the noise. Splashheart bounded over her and onto the dens roof, she felt the bush collapse beneath her and a few surprised meows hit the air.

"Great thinking," Sparrowfall praised. Splashheart jumped off and gave her pelt a quick shake, the warriors slowly came out of the den, a few were grunting with pain but it wasn't too serious.

"Why so early?" A little she-cat whined. Sparrowfall waited for the last of her clan do awaken before she addressed them.

"All of you must hide, now!" She asserted. The clan understood her concern and immediately leaped into the trees above, some sprinted into dense bushes and others hid in tunnels that had been dug out for herbs. Splashheart leaped onto a low hanging branch and gradually made her way up the tree to hide herself. The clan and clearing was silent, not even a soft breeze blew the trees, suddenly a loud rumbling noise brushed into the clearing followed by a large group of bristling cats. Splashheart looked at them intently; she pricked with surprise at the sight of her brother. She noticed that he was accompanying a distraught she-cat.

"Sparrowfall, come out!" A tom shouted. The Healclan leader jumped out of her den and landed in front of the dark tabby tom.

"Why have you come here, Dustclaw? We agreed that the clans wouldn't meet until it was time for the battle!" Sparrowfall snarled. A she-cat suddenly appeared beside Dustclaw and hissed at Sparrowfall, she was quickly ushered back into the crowd by another two cats.

"A good leader would know how to control his clan," A tom whispered to Splashheart, slightly nudging her, she didn't face him but she nodded in agreement.

"It IS time…" Dustclaw replied sternly. Splashheart jumped down from the tree immediately, a few cats from the other clan glared at her but they didn't say anything. Splashheart padded to the front of them and stood beside her leader, Hollynose was by her side as well.

"What do you mean, it is time?" Sparrowfall demanded. Dustclaw was about to answer when a sudden clamour of distraught caterwauls sounded into the clearing, followed by a loud thundering collection of pawsteps headed toward the two quarrelling clans. The group of cats appeared in the clearing moments after, with Honeyface and Chestfall leading them. Splashheart locked her gaze on her brother whose pelt was bristling with fear.

"Just wonderful," Hollynose muttered sarcastically. Splashheart searched for her other brother in the group of cats that had first arrived.

"Honeyface what's wrong?" Dustclaw queried. The golden tom stood for a bit trying to catch his breath before answering the dark tom.

"It's Darkclan… They ambushed us… We had no idea…" He breathed, collapsing to the ground. Chestfall quickly gave his leader and concerned sniff before looking at the two leaders.

"This is all that is left of us, they struck most of us down," He grieved. Splashheart noticed that there was a grey she-cat beside him, her pelt was brushed up against him and her cheeks looked sodden with tears. He turned to her and gave her cheek a few soothing licks but she didn't seem comforted by him.

"Well we can't just sit here and wait for something bad to happen, we must strike now while we have the advantage," The she-cat that had been sitting beside Swiftleap had stood up and was stomping through the crowd of cats. Dustclaw looked at her and nodded.

"Now is the time to attack," Dustclaw plotted. Chestfall stared in horror, Splashheart managed to sneak away from her leader's side and reach him, when he saw her immediately rubbed himself against her, she did the same.

"I've missed you so much," Splashheart whispered. Chestfall began to silently cry.

"Not as much as I have you," Chestfall whimpered. Splashheart gave her brother's head a few soft, long rasps with her tongue.

"I can't imagine how you must be feeling," Splashheart meowed between licks, the grey she-cat that had been sitting beside Chestfall was now looking at the two littermates, her eyes were filled with sadness and regret.

"I…I'm so sorry, I wish I could have helped," she whispered to herself. Splashheart noticed that her claws were digging into the ground. Chestfall broke apart from her and comforted the she-cat.

"Gorsefang, there's nothing you could have done, your sister is in a better place now," Chestfall soothed. Gorsefang began to sob harder, her legs shook beneath her and she collapsed to the ground, her head buried beneath her paws.

"I could have saved her! My mother will never forgive me!" Gorsefang screeched to the sky. Chestfall quickly lied down beside her and placed his tail over her back. Splashheart watched the two as they comforted each other and realised after that she hadn't been listening to the other clan's discussion, she looked at them and saw that they were all arguing.

"Then it's settled, tonight we strike!" The three leaders synchronized. Splashheart sat down and shock and felt the world collapse around her, the ground felt cold and her vision was blurred, she couldn't hear a thing.

 _I can't believe this is happening…_


	18. Chapter 16

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 16**

The search patrol had found nothing, not even a whiff of Wolfheart's littermate's scents. They were gone, Lightwhisker still didn't seem to believe it but once they came back to camp she looked like her whole life had been torn away, tears began to run down her face and she was quickly comforted by Sagewillow, Reedthorn and Cherrywhisker.

"I just can't bear to think of how scared they must be!" Lightwhisker screeched.

"They are three very strong cats, I'm sure they're fine," Reedthorn soothed. Wolfheart wasn't too sure about Reedthorn's comment and she seemed hesitant as well.

"I just wish that Starclan would send me a sign to prove that they are still alive," Lightwhisker whimpered. Wolfheart faced the dawn-lit sky, a few stars still glinted beside the faint moon but Wolfheart didn't have any belief that his littermates were still alive.

"Swamppaw! Where is Swamppaw?" Hopeflight shot out of the nursery, his pelt was ruffled as if he had only just woken up. The medicine cat slid out of his den and as soon as he saw Hopeflight he knew exactly what was going on. He quickly turned around and then arrived shortly after with a leaf bundle latched in his jaws, the toms sprinted across the clearing together. Swamppaw stopped Hopeflight and told him to wait outside until he was done, Wolfheart trotted over to him and sat beside him.

"Is everything alright?" Wolfheart fretted. Hopeflight shuddered and then faced Wolfheart.

"I hope so, I woke up this morning and Briarleaf looked so tired and weak…" Hopeflight explained. Shortly after, Swamppaw poked his head out of the nursery, his expression unreadable and allowed Hopeflight to come in. Hopeflight crawled inside and almost immediately after he shot back, his gaze filled with excitement.

"I wonder what ruffled his fur," A cat murmured from outside the elder's den.

"I'm a father! Briarleaf has given birth to three beautiful kits!" Hopeflight exclaimed, jumping with joy. Cats began to congratulate the tom by cheering, soon after the whole clan was cheering until Swamppaw stomped out and glared at them all.

"Shh, these kits need their rest!" He scolded, the clan fell silent but there were a few happy laughs.

"May I see them?" Wolfheart asked Hopeflight. The tom nodded and allowed him to follow him into the nursery. Wolfheart looked down at the three kits, there were two she-kits who both looked like their mother, one of them had white paws which was the only thing to tell them apart and then there was a pure white tom.

"This one is Flamekit," Hopeflight placed his tail on the little she-cat who looked exactly like her mother.

"This one is Cloudkit," Briarleaf touched her nose gently to the tom's head.

"And this little one is Deerkit," Hopeflight pointed to the she-cat with white paws with his paw. Wolfheart gave the two mates a respectful nod before leaving them to care for their kits in peace.


	19. Chapter 17

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 17**

Swiftleap sat shaking at the back of the crowd of quarrelling cats. He could see his littermates just ahead of him, they were rubbing themselves against each other in happiness. Swiftleap tried to approach them but his paws felt glued to the ground, his body was frozen with shock and he felt as if his whole was breaking into millions of pieces.

 _The battle can't come, I don't feel ready…_ Swiftleap began to worry, he felt his pelt going hot and his head began to whirl.

"Then it's settled, tonight we strike!" Swiftleap heard all of the leaders rejoice at once. They seemed excited.

 _How could they be excited? Their lives are about to torn away from them, don't they understand that?_ Swiftleap shoved the thought away; it isn't just their lives that Swiftleap is worried about, it's his own and his littermates. _What would my mother think? What would Wolfheart think? What would Sagewillow think?_

"Dustclaw, as we organised, your patrol will head through the trees and bushes. My patrol will attack first in groups and your patrol. Sparrowfall will only attack if needed," Honeyface explained. The leaders nodded their heads in agreement and split apart to begin organising themselves.

"Swiftleap and Reedpelt will take the rear while Badgernose and I will lead, got it?" Dustclaw declared. Swiftleap realised he was looking straight at him so he quickly nodded, he looked at the other clans and saw they were all waiting. Dustclaw looked at the leaders and nodded. The clans began to head out, with Battleclan in the lead. Swiftleap followed slowly but the cats behind him kept nudging him forward, suddenly the cats began to split. Sneakclan began to leap into the trees so Swiftleap bundled up all his strength and leaped up beside Reedpelt. The she-cat looked just as hesitant about this whole thing as he did.

"Hey, just try to think of it as another training session," Swiftleap tried to comfort the she-cat but she didn't face him. He was also attempting to comfort himself but it didn't exactly work, he still felt the cold chill running down his spine that had accompanied him when he first came to this dark place.

"It's so quiet, too quiet…" A tortoiseshell she-cat murmured from below. He looked down at her and saw that she, and many other cats, were sitting in a synchronized crouch, ready to pounce. The silence she had commented on felt like it was lasting a life time, cats were beginning to stir and fidget about at having to wait.

"I…I can't feel my paws" Swiftleap looked up and saw a tom shaking slightly on the branch above him, the she-cat beside him placed her tail on his shoulder.

"Dewdrop, just try to calm down…" She advised. The tom began to shake wildly, causing the branch below the two to snap, they both dropped suddenly, falling quickly to the ground.

"Oh no you don't" Swiftleap stretched his neck and when the she-cat reached him, he grabbed her scruff and pulled her up beside him. He waited until she was steady to look back at the tom but by the time he did it, it was too late. Dewdrop had already reached the ground and was lying broken on the ground with a slight drizzle of blood oozing out of his mouth. Swiftleap slammed his eyes shut and looked away.

"Dewdrop, no!" The she-cat screeched. Swiftleap quickly wrapped his tail around her and pulled her against his chest. She edged away from him but when she tried to balance herself she slipped and her rear legs fell off the branch, she shot her fore claws out and dug them into the branch, gripping on with her life. Swiftleap reached down for her but he felt a slight nudge on his shoulder, he looked at where it had come from and saw Reedpelt shaking her head.

"Let her go…" She meowed. Swiftleap stared at her in horror and tried to reach for the she-cat once more.

"Please…help me, I don't want to-" The she-cat was cut off as her claws raked through the tree and caused her to fall. She wailed in terror and was quickly silenced by a loud snap as she hit the forest floor. Swiftleap stared at the two cats below him, they had both landed next to each other and they had both met a gruesome death. _Was Starclan trying to tell them something?_ Swiftleap wondered. _Maybe neither of the clans will survive this? Maybe we are both going to end up the same way? Meeting a gruesome death…_ Swiftleap thought deeply about his idea but he didn't mention anything to Reedpelt, suddenly he heard a surprised caterwaul split into the air. He looked at the cat it had come from and saw Beaverstep holding a fluffy white she-cat in his jaws, her neck was stained with red as it dripped down from Beaverstep's jaws. He spat the she-cat to the side of him as if she were a piece of crowfood.

"Let's get this battle started shall we?" He purred mischievously, suddenly a swarm of cats pooled out from either side of Beaverstep, the same from Honeyface. The battle had begun and there was nothing Swiftleap or his littermates could do to stop it. Swiftleap readied his haunches in case he was needed. Reedpelt did the same; he took one last long look at the silver she-cat and her lithe shape that was always neatly groomed down. He made sure he remembered her this way because he knew that after this battle she would never look the same, whether or not she survived.

"Oh look, a few birdies that fell too hard from the tree," A tom chuckled from below them. Swiftleap and Reedpelt immediately shot their gaze toward him, he was a dark brown tabby with one of ears torn off, one of his paws was out and he was fiddling around with Dewdrop and the she-cat's limp bodies. Reedpelt bristled with anger and leaped down onto the tom, he shrieked in surprise but quickly threw off onto the ground where he pinned her down.

"Don't you touch her," Swiftleap muttered under his breath, he jumped down from the tree and landed behind the muscular tom. Once he was firmly on the ground he quickly bit down hard on the tom's tail and pulled him off of Reedpelt.

"Look who came to play, it's the runt!" The tom mocked. Swiftleap unsheathed his claws and raked them along the tom's cheek, knocking him down to the ground. Reedpelt had gotten up and was standing across from Swiftleap.

"Thanks…" She puffed. Swiftleap nodded and then looked at the tom once more, he had stood up and was staring straight at Reedpelt. Almost immediately afterward he pounced on her and dug his claws into her neck, causing a ripple of blood to pool out onto the ground surrounding her. The tom gave a silent purr of defiance and then bounded off back into the chaos of the battle. Swiftleap immediately went to Reedpelt's side, she was shaking violently and she kept coughing up fragments of blood.

"Reedpelt, please hold on, wait here, I'll get some cobweb," Swiftleap sobbed. He stood up and went to go looking for some of the white silk that was used to stop bleeding, but Reedpelt stopped him.

"I…I'm sorry…but there is…nothing you…can do…" She stammered, her eyes began to water and she was suddenly crying. Swiftleap collapsed at her side and began to cry as well.

"Please, don't leave me, I can't bear to lose another cat I love," Swiftleap pleaded but Reedpelt's breathing began to slow and her eyes were beginning to glaze.

"I will…always love…you Swiftleap…never forget…" Reedpelt's voice trailed off as her breathing stopped and her body became limp.

"Reedpelt? Reedpelt! No!" Swiftleap shook her body rapidly but she didn't respond. He buried his head in her soft, silky fur and began to cry endlessly but just when he felt like his whole life had been torn away he imagined the tom that had done this to her and his thoughts became filled with hatred.

 _Don't worry, Reedpelt, I will avenge your death…_ He stood up and gave the pretty she-cat once last lick on her forehead before diving into the battle after her murderer. _I promise, you will not be forgotten…_


	20. Chapter 18

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 18**

Splashheart watched on in horror as cat before cat snapped at each other with their teeth bared and ready to kill. She suddenly saw a familiar flash of movement reach her sight; it was her brother, Swiftleap. He was wrestling violently with a dark brown tom, the tom thrashed carelessly to try and get him off but Swiftleap seemed latched on like an eagles claws against a mouse. Suddenly Swiftleap opened his mouth wide and bit down hard on the toms neck. The thrashing stopped and his eyes glazed, he collapsed to the ground, bringing Swiftleap down with him. Her brother jumped off of him and licked his lips to remove the blood before diving back into the battle, bristling with determination; he was quickly out of sight in the huge mass of battling cats.

"This is awful!" Splashheart shut her eyes and looked away from the horrifying scene; she felt a gentle nudge to her side and opened her eyes to see Ferretwish standing beside her. She had become very close to the tom over the past few moons of preparation.

"I know this is hard, but we must stay strong…" He soothed. Splashheart realised that he was right and stood up so she could look at the battle once more. The cats were still going as if she hadn't looked away; cats yelped and thrashed in the jaws of the Darkclan warriors. Others came whimpering to the sides that had been assigned for rest and healing, Darkclan was winning, suddenly two more lots of cats came flying down from the trees, taking Darkclan by surprise.

"Sneakclan!" Splashheart exclaimed with joy. She noticed that most of them were fairly skinny and fast rather than muscly like Battleclan. Splashheart heard a terrified squeak come from just beside her, she looked over and saw an apprentice being torn and clawed by a tom nearly twice the size of it. Splashheart disobeyed all her orders and leaped out of the bush, heading straight for the terrified apprentice. Once she was close enough she leaped at the large tom and bit down hard on his ear. He shrieked in surprise and threw her off but Splashheart was still holding on tight to his ear causing it to be ripped off when she landed against the ground. She was only winded so she stood up and stepped over the apprentice, baring her teeth in a snarl at the tom that was only a little bit larger than her.

"You're going to pay for that!" He growled. Splashheart simply glared at him, not moving from over the apprentice, she could feel the poor thing shaking beneath her.

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?!" Splashheart snarled. The tom raised his paw into the air ready to attack. Splashheart crouched down low over the apprentice ready to feel the amass force of his paw but it didn't come. She looked at the tom and saw a huge slash across his neck that was pooling out blood. He began to choke and then he collapsed to the ground where he coughed and shot out fragments of blood from his mouth, soon his breathing slowed and stopped, he was dead. Splashheart looked around for his attacker and her saviour but they were nowhere to be seen. She shrugged and looked down at the apprentice, the little she-cat had a few scratches down her flank and on her cheek but it wasn't anything too serious. Splashheart gently picked her up by the scruff and carried her back to the healing den. Once she arrived she was bombarded with cats.

"Why did you go out there?"

"You could have died!"

"You disobeyed my orders!" The last comment was from Sparrowfall, she didn't look pleased. Splashheart filled with rage; she placed the apprentice carefully down on the ground and faced her leader.

"If I hadn't _disobeyed_ your precious orders, this apprentice would have died!" She retorted, a few surprised gasps silenced the den. Sparrowfall turned around to glare at her.

"Everyone dies, Splashheart even you will die one day," She hissed. Sparrowfall raised her paw into the air and batted Splashheart to the ground with it. Splashheart lay there for a bit and realised that her claws were not sheathed and that Splashheart had blood pooling from her cheek. She was quickly accompanied by two other cats that helped her up but Splashheart didn't bother to thank them, she simply stayed how she was, full of shock. She could only faintly hear anything but she suddenly heard an outraged meow speaking toward Sparrowfall.

"That is no way to treat any cat, even if they disobey your orders. Splashheart was at least trying to help! You have been doing nothing except treating your clan like absolute fox-dung!" It was Ferretwish, the tom was bristling with rage and he was scolding their leader. Splashheart sat up and was supported by the other two cats that had come to her aid.

"I…I was just…" Sparrowfall had nothing to say that could win her clan's trust back, she had lost as soon as she scolded Splashheart for helping the apprentice. Splashheart suddenly remembered the little she-cat she had saved and turned around to look at her but she was already being helped by Feathershine and Rainberry. Splashheart breathed a sigh of relief.

"Splashheart, are you alright? Do you need anything?" Merrycloud, one of the cats that had helped her, was staring at her waiting for an answer.

"I'm fine," she answered gratefully.

"Are you sure? We can get you some poppyseed if you like?" Cloudstripe, the other cat that had helped her, pressed.

"I'm fine, really and poppyseed is that last thing I want right now," She assured the two, they both nodded and then sat down next to her just in case, she was glad to know these cats, they all seemed like wonderful cats and Splashheart knew that when she had to say goodbye it would be the hardest goodbye of her life.

"Somebody help!" Splashheart whipped her head around at a terrified shriek. Merrycloud and Cloudstripe did the same, suddenly a distraught she-cat appeared in the den, she had a limp tom sitting on her back. He flopped off of her and onto the ground, landing with a thud against the ground. The she-cat gasped and collapsed to the ground next to him, giving him a few slight nudges with her muzzle.

"What happened?" Splashheart demanded, she gave the limp tom an intense look and noticed that there were three large scratches on his flank and his tail had been bitten off.

"We were fighting a she-cat when suddenly a tom appeared out of nowhere and pounced on me, my brother tried to help me but the two of them torn him to pieces," she whimpered. Splashheart told Merrycloud to get her some poppyseed for the she-cat and Cloudstripe to get some cobweb for the tom. They both nodded and went to the herb store, they arrived not too long after with the supplies. Splashheart immediately grabbed the cobweb out of Cloudstripe's mouth and pressed it onto the tom's injured flank, holding it down firmly against him.

"Cloudstripe, use the rest on his tail and make sure your press down hard!" Splashheart ordered. The grey and white tom nodded his head and began the same on his tail. Splashheart quickly glanced at the she-cat who was being soothed by Merrycloud, she was grateful for the light grey she-cat's presence; she was a very gentle and loving cat that was fir for the task. Suddenly the tom began convulsing, his body was shaking violently and Splashheart was struggling to hold him down. He eventually stopped and then shot his eyes open.

"Mothspot?" He whispered, the she-cat that had brought him in shot up and lay down next to him, curling her tail around his body.

"I'm right here brother, you saved me…" She purred, giving his forehead a gentle lick. He began to purr as well and soon the two were sleeping soundly next to each other. Splashheart looked at the two and thought of her own littermates.

 _Where are they?_


	21. Chapter 19

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 19**

Chestfall watched as Mothspot picked up Oakswirl's limp body, her eyes were filled with tears she was working tirelessly to get him onto her back. Chestfall was about to help her when he heard a ferocious caterwaul approaching him, he looked sideways and saw a black she-cat charging toward him with her teeth and claws out, ready to strike. Chestfall readied his haunches for her to pounce but she was cut off half way by another she-cat that batted her into a tree and bit down on her neck until she stopped shaking. Chestfall nodded his thanks to the she-cat but she didn't notice him.

"Chestfall, help me!" Chestfall looked ahead of him and saw Gorsefang battling with two toms, she was pinned right up against a tree with no way to escape. Chestfall pelted toward her, suddenly a she-cat stopped him in his tracks. He rolled his eyes and batted her with his paw, she hissed at him and went to pounce but when she stood up on her hind legs, she left her belly defenceless so Chestfall raked his claws along her soft belly fur. Chestfall left her useless on the ground and kept running. Another cat jumped in front of him but he simply smacked it with his paw and kept going. Once he was just close enough to Gorsefang he leaped upwards and landed on one of the toms' back. He quickly dug his claws in and scored them down the tom's back, the tom writhed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Chestfall didn't have a chance to set his claws free so he was crushed under the amass weight of the tom. He felt the air get squashed out of his chest as the tom landed on him, Chestfall gathered all his strength and shoved the tom off of him so that he could attack the other one and allow some time for Gorsefang to escape but when he looked at the other tom he was already running off with his tail in between his legs and Gorsefang snapping her jaws towards him.

"Thanks, that's all I needed," She breathed. Chestfall looked at her and smiled, they stared at each other for a bit before facing the battle once more.

"Dark forest, retreat!" Beaverstep shouted above the clamour of battling cats, the cats that had still been battling became agitated.

"Why? We are winning!" A she-cat hissed. Chestfall took a look at the collection of cats and realised that there were an even amount of cats staring at Beaverstep.

"No one is winning; this battle is over!" Beaverstep retorted. Chestfall realised that the tom's meow was full of grief, he looked at Beaverstep and then where he was looking, a silver tabby she-cat lay motionless on the ground, her stomach had been torn open and blood was pooling out of it, surrounding her. Chestfall froze and looked at his paws, he lifted his forepaw and unsheathed his claws, in them were tufts of silver fur. Chestfall had killed Beaverstep's mate, he quickly sheathed his claws and placed his paw on the ground.

"Beaverstep, I'm so sorry, I had no idea," The she-cat apologised, the cats of Darkclan began to fall back and stand at their leader's side. Once they were all beside him Beaverstep stepped forward.

"I would just like to apologise for my actions, I was ruthless and I treated all of you like fox-dung, now that I have seen this unreasonable bloodshed, I am now offering a truce, the dark forest will still be a dark forest but I will not take part in the unnecessary fighting or battles," Beaverstep called. A few cats from Battleclan bowed their heads in respect for the tom, Chestfall and Gorsefang included. Chestfall watched as the tom leaped down from where he had been standing and walk over to his dead mate. Chestfall leaped down beside him and walked over to him, he suddenly felt a great sympathy and respect for this cat.

"Beaverstep, I would just like to apologise for your loss, I wish her good hunting."

As if his words had been a trigger, a huge light appeared on one side of the clearing. Chestfall looked at Beaverstep's mate and saw a transparent figure above her, the figure touched its nose to Beaverstep's and walked over to the light. Soon all the motionless bodies had figures above them, the cat shaped figures all walked over to the light and disappeared. Chestfall saw a flicker of movement appear in the corner of his eye and realised it was Swiftleap, he was running towards a silver she-cat's broken corpse. The figure appeared from her and touched noses with him before trotting towards the light, the she-cat was greeted by a ginger tom who entwined his tail with hers, the ginger tom didn't come alone, two other figures walked out from the light.

 _Is that?_

"Bearpelt!" Beaverstep suddenly exclaimed, he pelted over to the light and immediately rubbed himself against the brown tom. A little further back sat the silver she-cat that Beaverstep had first touched noses with.

"I've missed you, Beaverstep," Bearpelt purred. Beaverstep gripped onto his brother tighter.

"I wish I could be with you; I can't be down here by myself…" He sobbed. Bearpelt gently tapped his back with his tail and a dim light began to seep down Beaverstep's pelt, a few shocked gasps shot through the clearing.

"Well now you won't have to, come, Sootkit and Bearclaw are waiting for us," Bearpelt whispered, barely loud enough for Chestfall to hear. Beaverstep jumped up in joy and went to run straight into the light with the other cats but he stopped and looked at his clan.

"Please, come with me," Beaverstep meowed. Most of the cats hung back so they were out of sight, obviously not wanting to go but the rest of them leaped down after him and pelted into the light. Beaverstep followed them and they all disappeared into the light, Beaverstep's mate left as well but Bearpelt remained.

"Chestfall, Swiftleap and Splashheart, please say goodbye to your friends, it is time for you to return home," Bearpelt declared. Chestfall ran to Gorsefang and touched noses with her.

"I don't want to leave you," Chestfall whimpered. Gorsefang sat down next to him and lay her head onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry my love, but I cannot stay here, if I do I'll…I can't even imagine," Gorsefang soothed. Chestfall felt a tear fall down his cheek and he felt a few falling onto his shoulder showing that Gorsefang was crying as well.

"What if I never see you again?" Chestfall wailed. Gorsefang split apart from him and faced him directly, her cheeks were sodden and her fur was ruffled from the battle.

"I promise, I will never stop searching for you," Gorsefang shot away from him and into the light. Chestfall tried to follow her but he stopped and began to cry until the ground below his paws was drenched. Bearpelt appeared at his side and placed his tail on his shoulder.

"Come, let's get you home, I know a few cats that have been missing all of you," Bearpelt advised. Chestfall stood up and saw a large group of cats heading into the light. Just before Chestfall and his littermates walked into the light a little apprentice shot out of the medicine den, her pelt sticky with cobwebs. Splashheart chuckled slightly and then they all fell silent before padding back through the light. Chestfall shut his eyes at the brightness, he suddenly heard the sound of rushing water and a few birds tweeted above his head. He opened his eyes and looked beside him. Bearpelt was gone but his littermates were both crouched on the ground, they both looked as if nothing had happened with their pelts neat and well-groomed. Chestfall leaped up with joy, his littermates did the same and all three of them began to roll around on the soft green grass of newleaf. Chestfall froze, newleaf had just ended when they disappeared but this grass looked as if newleaf had just started, they had been gone for nearly ten moons.

"Come on, we have to get home!" Swiftleap exclaimed. He pelted off into the lush forest. Splashheart and Chestfall followed him and soon they were all running side by side, filled with happiness at the thought of returning home.


	22. Chapter 20

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 20**

Wolfheart sat in the newleaf sun, feeling the heat seep into his pelt, all of his problems forgotten. Chestfall, Splashheart and Swiftleap had been gone for more than ten moons so most of the clan had lost hope. While they had been gone, Birchthorn had been hit by a monster on the Thunderpath, Lightwhisker had become the new deputy and Spotpaw had become Spotface. The clan seemed normal, with the occasional search patrol for Chestfall, Splashheart and Swiftleap. Suddenly the entrance to the camp rustled and three cats shot into the camp. Wolfheart shot up, it was them, they had returned.

"My kits!" Lightwhisker's delighted meow sounded above the noise in the clearing, she sprinted down from the highcliff and ran over to them. They all surrounded her and gave her affectionate licks. Wolfheart pelted toward them.

"I can't believe you're alive, the clan thought you had…" Wolfheart didn't finish his sentence in case he hurt their feelings.

"I'm so glad you're here, there's something I need to tell you," Lightwhisker grieved. Wolfheart understood what she was going to say.

"What's wrong?" Splashheart pressed, Wolfheart saw that all three of them looked concerned.

"Birchthorn is dead, he was hit by a monster on the Thunderpath," Lightwhisker explained. Their eyes filled with horror and then intrigue.

"Who's the new deputy?" Swiftleap queried.

"That's the thing, I am," Lightwhisker admitted. All three of them froze and then filled with joy.

"That's great! What an honour!" Chestfall praised. Wolfheart felt his mother go hot with embarrassment. He saw a shadow appear over the clearing and looked up to see Brindlestar standing on the highcliff. He sat down beside them and waited for Brindlestar to begin speaking.

"I am standing atop the highcliff to announce to the return of Chestfall, Splashheart and Swiftleap. Most of us, including myself, had given up hope that they would ever return but now that they are here, I am sure that all of us must be overjoyed that they have returned!" Brindlestar called, her meow filled with excitement. Cats below here began to chant.

"Chestfall, Splashheart, Swiftleap, Chestfall, Splashheart, Swiftleap!" Their names were soon ringing around the clearing; every cat was mewling their delight that the three littermates had made it home safely. Suddenly the leaves rustled at the entrance announcing the arrival of the hunting patrol. Their eyes were filled with fright, as if they had seen something unseeable. They each had a piece of fresh-kill hanging from their jaws. Once they saw that the three littermates had returned, they breathed huge sighs of relief and dropped their prey. Wolfheart noticed that there were only three warriors standing at the entrance, when suddenly a she-cat burst out from behind them.

"Swiftleap, you're alive!" It was Sagewillow, the ginger she-cat had leaped over the rest of her patrol and was now only a fox-length away from the black and white tom. She pelted forward and they collided, immediately rubbing themselves affectionately against each other. Wolfheart heard Sagewillow's purr rumbling out of her partly opened jaws as if she were standing right next to him. Wolfheart noticed that Swiftleap had looked a little hesitant but that all seemed to be forgotten when Sagewillow began to lick his ear gently.

"Chestfall, Splashheart and Swiftleap, I imagine your mother has already told you about Birchthorn and that she is the new deputy of Roarclan?" Brindlestar intervened. The three of them nodded their heads in agreement. Brindlestar nodded back.

"What about Spot-" Wolfheart heard Hopeflight's meow get cut off by another cat.

"Has she mentioned that Spotpaw is now Spotface?" Brindlestar questioned. The three of them perked their ears in surprise. Brindlestar pointed her tail at the latest warrior and he padded through the crowd of cats.

"Congratulations, Spotface," Swiftleap purred. Brindlestar dismissed her clan with a flick of her tail and the clan immediately broke apart. A few headed toward the three whereas the others headed straight for the recently stocked fresh-kill pile. Wolfheart just sat down where he was and began to groom his chest fur, gradually moving downwards, he suddenly felt a harsh nudge to his side and fell to the ground. He turned around to glare at the cat but stopped when he saw Reedthorn staring at him.

"What's the matter, Reedthorn?" Wolfheart straightened up so he was in line with the elderly she-cat, she blinked her eyes slowly but didn't say anything.

"Seeing them together reminded me of Honeypelt," She mourned. Wolfheart looked at the three cats and noticed that they seemed so happy, like one big family. Wolfheart knew that he and his mother would never feel like that, the second litter is never as important as the first.

"I know how you feel," Wolfheart admitted. He noticed the she-cat's ears twitch in surprise.

"How could you? You don't have any kits!" She wailed. Wolfheart heard the camp go silent around them and noticed that most of them were staring.

"You're right, I don't, but I _had_ a sister! And she was just as important," Wolfheart retorted, he felt his eyes go wet with tears and only barely saw Reedthorn's eyes fill with regret. Wolfheart blinked the tears away and pelted out of the clearing with his tail blowing out behind him. He made sure to dodge each cat that tried to help him so that he could escape into the forest.


	23. Chapter 21

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 21**

Wolfheart's paws thrashed along the ground in the silent clearing as he bolted out of the clearing. Splashheart went to follow him but she was stopped by Lightwhisker.

"I'm not losing you again, he just needs some alone time," Lightwhisker meowed sternly with her paw shoved against Splashheart's chest.

"But…he might need help," Splashheart replied, sliding out of her mother's grip, only to be quickly cut off once more.

"Trust me, he needs to be alone," Lightwhisker ordered. She flicked her tail-tip slightly, causing two cats to sprint past them and out of the camp. It was Shredflame and Coalface.

"I'll be in the medicine den if you need me…" Splashheart grunted in reply. Lightwhisker let her pass by moving aside and Splashheart pelted toward her den. Once she arrived she squeezed into the den only to find a distraught Swamppaw shaking on the ground.

"Not enough herbs…sickness…death" He stammered, still trembling on the ground. Splashheart padded slowly to his side and lied down next to him with her tail curled around him.

"Swamppaw…" She meowed, careful not to press him to hard as he already seemed very concerned.

"Splashheart?" He croaked, obviously tired with distress.

"What's wrong, Swamppaw? You seemed stunned when I came in as if you had seen something unseeable," Splashheart explained. His eyes went dark and Splashheart regretted her comment.

"I saw a great stone, covered in trees that bent in the wind. There were cats there but they weren't clan cats, they were skinny and their ribs shone through their pelts," Swamppaw described. Splashheart listened deeply, what he was explaining sounded like something Splashheart had never seen before but she knew it was important.

"I don't understand though, when I walked in you were rambling on about a sickness and that there weren't enough herbs," Splashheart queried. Swamppaw shrugged but Splashheart realised that what he had described just before sounded a little bit like that, there obviously weren't enough herbs to help the skinny cats which caused sickness and that led to death. Splashheart stood up.

"Where are you going?" Swamppaw asked. Splashheart turned and saw the little grey tom stand up to pad towards her.

"I'm not going alone, you're coming with me because we need to inform Brindlestar about your vision," Splashheart declared. Swamppaw's ears twitched in surprise but he didn't object, they both padded out into the clearing and walked through the crowd of cats still surrounding her littermates. They both looked bewildered at all the questions that were being thrown at them but Splashheart didn't stop to help, her and Swamppaw leaped up the rock pile towards the top of the highcliff. Brindlestar perked in surprise when she saw the two.

"Splashheart, what's the matter?" She gave Splashheart a swift lick on the forehead and Splashheart did the same in return. Swamppaw simply sat where he was and watched the two.

"Swamppaw has had a vision…of the future, I believe you will want to hear it," Splashheart declared. Brindlestar nodded and lead them into her den, when they walked in. Splashheart notice that her den seemed a lot messier than usual as Brindlestar hadn't been sleeping properly or she hadn't been treating herself the right way.

"Now, Swamppaw, tell me everything," Brindlestar ordered. Swamppaw nodded and began to explain his vision. Splashheart didn't listen, instead she looked around Brindlestar's den, trying not to be noticed too much. Suddenly a familiar scent wafted into her nose and she froze.

"Splashheart, are you alright?" It was Swamppaw, he had finished explaining and was now staring at her in concern. Brindlestar sat beside him, twitching with uneasiness. Splashheart locked her gaze on her and looked back at the scent but she didn't dare look at it, at least not now.

"Yes, I just thought I saw a mouse," She lied, stomping out of the den in anger. Swamppaw followed her shortly after, he trotted beside her to keep up with her fast pace.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" He pressed. Splashheart stopped dead in her tracks and watched him fumble on his feet to stop as well, he eventually regained his balance and faced her.

"Brindlestar is hiding something and we are going to find out what it is," She growled quietly but loud enough for Swamppaw to hear her, while slowly turning her head towards the highcliff where Brindlestar sat, glaring at her from a distance. Splashheart turned away from her and fled to the medicine den, she heard Swamppaw run after her desperately.

"Keep moving, rogue filth!" Splashheart heard a tom's voice shouting at what seemed to be another cat. She poked her head back out of the den and saw Coalface shoving a dark grey tabby she-cat into the Roarclan camp. Her fur was matted and she had three claw marks over one of her eyes. The scratches were still partially bleeding. The she-cat turned around and snarled at him, he growled back and braced his haunches for a fight. The she-cat ducked her upper body down, ready to pounce. Splashheart quickly sprinted from the medicine den and stood in between the two, she looked at Coalface first and then faced the she-cat, who had stood up and was now sitting down attempting to clean her injured eye.

"Swamppaw, can you please get me some cobwebs and poppy seeds?" Splashheart called to her apprentice, she didn't see him but shortly after he came out of the medicine den with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. Splashheart reached her paw out to examine the she-cat but the she-cat flinched away from and hissed at her, continuing to clean her injured eye.

"She is going to help you," Coalface meowed, a hint of tone to his voice, obviously showing he wasn't too happy about the whole situation. The she-cat stopped cleaning and lowered her paw to the ground. She looked around the clearing and then sighed before lying on the ground to let Splashheart help her.

"I think you're okay now, these will help you sleep," She slid the poppy seeds along the ground but the she-cat didn't accept them. Instead she cocked her head the opposite way so that Splashheart couldn't see her face.

"I accepted your help, now let me go," The she-cat demanded, shooting up and glaring at Splashheart. Splashheart looked away from the she-cat, not wanting to face her.

"I'm sorry but that is not her choice to make, it's mine," Brindlestar had come down from the highcliff and was standing beside Splashheart. The she-cat immediately leaped at her and landed on her, leaving her stomach vulnerable. Coalface went to help but Brindlestar twitched her tail, telling him not too.

"Well then, let me go!" The she-cat growled, pushing her paw into Brindlestar's neck. Brindlestar raised her hind leg and kicked the she-cat off, she was quickly jumped by Wolfheart and Shredflame. They held her down to the ground so that her belly was facing upwards, she kicked and shoved on the ground in an attempt to get the two toms off but they weren't budging. The she-cat suddenly became frantic and she began to panic, her eyes becoming dark and her fur bristling in fear. Brindlestar walked slowly towards her.

"What gives you the right to invade my territory, attack me and then make drastic demands in my own clan?" Brindlestar snarled, the she-cat stopped fidgeting and faced her.

"Please stop! You're scaring me!" She cried, the two toms released her and she immediately flipped over and crouched down to the ground.

"Damn right, you should be scared of me!" Brindlestar retorted. The she-cat squashed herself deeper into the ground so that her muzzle was only just noticeable. Brindlestar stepped away from her and sat just ahead of her.

"I just wanted a place to stay… My kit was hit by a large beast on a plank of hard earth and I have been trying so very hard to make it without her but she was my only help. These scratches were another cat that I ran into, just near those big square trees and I am just so scared," She whimpered. Brindlestar looked away and it was obvious she felt sorry for this she-cat, all she was, was scared and lonely.

"You may stay with us but I need to know your name in order for that to happen," Brindlestar meowed softly. The she-cat sat up slowly and looked around at all the cats in the clearing, her eyes went wide at the amount of them.

"My name is Tessa…" She whispered. A few cats heard and passed it onto other cats that didn't hear and then they all started muttering things under their breath, pointing their paws at her and looking her up and down.

"I can take care of her," Wolfheart suddenly spoke out above all the muttering cats and caused them to fall silent. Tessa turned around to face him and her eyes immediately filled with bedazzlement, she was obviously happy with the decision. Brindlestar nodded and Tessa trotted to his side.


	24. Chapter 22

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 22**

Wolfheart guided the distraught she-cat towards the entrance out of the clearing. No cat had tried to stop him so he continued forward, with Tessa in the lead. She took one last glance behind her and then dived into the entrance.

"Oh, what freaks," She exclaimed, stretching her forepaws out in front of her, obviously not caring that Wolfheart was there.

"Yeah, they can be bad at times," Wolfheart admitted, imagining his claws digging into Brindlestar's neck and causing a ripple of blood to pool out of her neck. He felt a tail land on his shoulder and looked up to see Tessa next to him.

"Something is holding you back," She meowed. Wolfheart cocked his head sideways in confusion, she sighed and then placed her paw in his unsheathed claws. They sheathed and then he suddenly felt relaxed.

"What do you mean?" He queried, tearing his paw away from hers. She stood up and began to circle him, he began to feel uneasy and felt a sinister chill run down his back from her tail wrapping around his shoulders. She stood next to him with her tail still wrapped around his shoulders.

"You are hiding something and I think I know what it is," She walked past him and ran her tail under his chin, while padding slowly away. He stood up and trotted after her, no matter how scared he felt, something about this she-cat flattered him, her tabby prints were perfectly aligned with her head and back, her tail was perked up constantly, and her eyes were a dazzling green. Wolfheart looked ahead of him but couldn't the she-cat anymore, he quickly sprinted ahead and looked around frantically.

"Tessa? Tessa" He shouted quietly, making sure not to alert any nearby cats, from his clan or from others.

"I can't tell if you're just happy to see me here or you want something that I have," Her menacing voice sounded from above him and he looked up to see her sitting on a thick branch with her tail hanging down. She quickly stood up and leaped down to face him, they stared at each other for a bit before turning away and continuing to walk forward.

"Tessa, you're going to cross the border and I can't guarantee your safety if you do," Wolfheart warned, she stopped and looked at him but then kept going forwards.

"This border?" She chimed. Wolfheart froze and realised she was standing directly on the edge as if she knew it was there.

"So, a few Roarclan scum have decided to come and-" Wolfheart ran to Tessa's side and shuffled her backwards, the tom's voice that had come from Breezeclan had stopped speaking at the sight of Tessa, he was obviously impressed by her appearance.

"We didn't mean any trouble, she is new," Wolfheart commented. The tom didn't respond, instead he was still staring at Tessa. Wolfheart looked at her and noticed that she had stood up and was now padding towards the tom, her tail swishing back and forth slowly. Wolfheart filled with rage at the sight.

"Why is such a beautiful she-cat like you staying with these mouse-brains?" The tom hissed, not at her though. Tessa stood beside the tom and placed her tail on his shoulder.

"They forced me, I never wanted to be part of their pathetic clan," She spat, sneakily winking at Wolfheart. He pricked in surprise and realised she was wooing him towards the Roarclan side of the border.

"Come with me, my clan could never deny someone of your potential," The tom conceded. Tessa's neck fur bristled and she leaped towards the tom, shoving him onto the Roarclan side. The tom's breath was knocked out of him but he regained it shortly after and smiled at her, she reared back in disgust and Wolfheart quickly leaped on top of him.

"Creep," Tessa muttered under her breath. Wolfheart looked at her and then back at the tom, he was still staring at Tessa, not trying to escape from Wolfheart's grip.

"Get off of our territory now," Wolfheart demanded, he jumped off of him and allowed him to return to his side but he didn't, instead he began to walk toward Tessa. Wolfheart jumped in front of him.

"Wolfheart, he's going to kill me!" Tessa suddenly screeched, both Wolfheart and the Breezeclan tom looked at her in confusion. He suddenly realised what she was doing, Wolfheart leaped at the tom and landed on him, the Breezeclan tom squirmed beneath him but Wolfheart wasn't letting go. Tessa appeared beside Wolfheart.

"Well, go on, he was going to _kill me_ ," She purred mischievously. Wolfheart bared his teeth in a snarl and pressed his claws into the tom's fur, there was no going back now. If Wolfheart let go now the tom would run back to his clan in terror, that was the look Wolfheart saw now. This tom was terrified of both, Tessa and Wolfheart. Wolfheart shut his eyes and dug deeper into the tom's neck until he felt the shaking stop. Wolfheart leaped off the motionless body and examined it quickly to make sure there were no tufts of his fur on its pelt.

"Get me some fox-dung," Wolfheart ordered to Tessa. She tipped her head sideways a little and then shrugged her shoulders, proceeding to go find some. Wolfheart looked down at his paws and saw that a drop of blood was running down his arm, he quickly shook it off in disgust. When the drop landed on a nearby tree the world flickered dark. He shook his head and closed his eyes while doing so. Once he opened them again he saw Brindlestar pinned to the ground, her eyes glazed and a pool of blood surrounding her neck and upper body. Wolfheart felt a tail land on his shoulder and turned to see Tessa standing beside him, a smug look on her face. She leaned closer to him and wrapped her tail around his neck gently, she placed her tail tip under his chin.

"Embrace it," She whispered. She proceeded to move his head so that he faced her, he filled with rage at the thought of embracing darkness, he leaped away from her and braced his haunches.

"Leave me alone!" He snarled, turning tail and fleeing from the she-cat. He looked back once and noticed she wasn't following him, he turned his head back to the front and there she was, sitting just ahead of him with a slight grin on her face. He skidded to a halt and immediately batted her with his paw, his claws sheathed. She grunted in pain as she landed on the ground, the air knocked out of her. He didn't dare to help her, he had to find a stream to clean his paws. He pelted through the forest looking around frantically for a stream, he eventually found one and ran straight for it. While he was running he saw a figure leaning over it and lapping their tongue gently on the surface, it was Tessa. He sprinted even faster and shoved her into the tiny stream, she gasped in surprise until she was cut off by a loud splash. She straightened herself up and glared at him, he raised his paw over his mouth to hide his laughter but she knew he was laughing. She raised her paw into the air and slashed it against the surface of the water causing a large amount of water to come flying towards Wolfheart, he laughed at first until it came closer. His vision became dark and he was soon surrounded by loud rain and a terrified wailing from beside him, he turned his head and saw a little she-cat, she seemed very familiar. He realised soon after that he was back at the night of his father's death and the she-cat beside him was Springkit. He squeezed out from under the bush and saw Chestfall and Moonblaze ahead of him, his eyes became watery and not because of the pelting rain but because he was crying.

"Wolfheart! Wolfheart!" A fretful she-cats voice was coming from beside him. At first he thought it was Springkit but he turned and saw Tessa shaking him ferociously. He shook himself and faced her, she looked horrified and concerned. He looked at her for a little bit before leaning closer to her and touching noses with her. He felt her go hot with embarrassment but she didn't shy away, instead she tore herself apart from him and rubbed her soft pelt on his chest, they sat for a bit before shaking themselves off and walking back to the camp, side by side with their tails entwined with one another.


	25. Chapter 23

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 23**

Swiftleap woke with a start, his claws were unsheathed and his pelt fluffed out to twice its size, even though he had seen the dark forest cats return to Starclan cats safely, he still had distressed dreams. He smoothed down his puffed up pelt with his tongue. He suddenly felt a second tongue rasp along his ear, he flicked his head around and saw Sagewillow looking at him hopefully, her amber eyes dazzled in the moonlight. He leaned toward her and gently touched his nose to hers. She flinched away after a few moments. Swiftleap stared after her in confusion, she looked at her stomach and moved her tail away from it so Swiftleap could see her slight bulge, he pricked in surprise and then filled with delight.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Swiftleap whispered, he could obviously tell that the kits had been in there for a few moons. Sagewillow looked doubtful, Swiftleap shuffled next to her and placed his tail on her plump flank.

"Something's wrong…" Sagewillow whimpered. Swiftleap nudged her gently with his forehead, she looked at him directly, her eyes were beginning to water.

"How can you tell?" Swiftleap queried. Sagewillow faced her stomach before answering.

"I just can, it's hard to explain but something just isn't right," She replied, lowering her head slightly. Swiftleap stroked his tail down her side and used it to gently feel for movement, she was right, nothing was fidgeting or even slightly kicking from her stomach. He stood up achily, feeling the cool air fly around his legs. Sagewillow did the same, flinching as the air hit her legs as well, they both padded out into the clearing and headed for the medicine den, their pelts brushing against one another.

"It's pretty chilly tonight," Sagewillow chattered, as her jaw shook wildly. Swiftleap observed the trees above them that surrounded the camp, they were all bent one way because of the breeze.

"Yeah, and windy," He added. They quickly scurried to the medicine den and slid inside as soon as they arrived. Swamppaw was the first to wake, his bright blue eyes shone through the darkness like moons in the sky. He gave Splashheart a soft nudge, they had obviously slept next to each other because of the wind, it was a lot chillier in the medicine den because of the lack of cats. Swamppaw gave Splashheart another nudge, a little harsher this time. She raised her head and looked at him, he pointed his nose toward Swiftleap and Sagewillow, causing Splashheart to look as well. She stretched her jaws apart in a huge yawn before sitting up and allowing Swiftleap and Sagewillow to come closer.

"What's the matt-" A huge cracking noise stopped Splashheart midway through her question. Swiftleap sprinted out into the clearing, a huge oak tree was on the verge of snapping from behind the medicine den, its trunk was on a ridiculous lean and Swiftleap didn't even think before sprinting over to the apprentices' den. He smashed his way in and began running around the apprentices, shouting their names over the wind, they all looked up sleepily and glared at him like he had stolen their feathers that get left for their nests.

"There is a huge tree about to fall over, run! Now!" The apprentice's eyes all filled with horror and they immediately fled from the den, except for one. Ravenpaw was shaking frantically from the back of the den.

"Help! My paw, its…its caught!" She shrieked. Swiftleap heard another loud crack echo from above them, he also a heard a low squeaking. _The tree is falling!_ He leaped toward Ravenpaw and instead of fleeing he surrounded her tiny, shaking body with himself. She whimpered beneath him, he tried to soothe her as good as he could but he wasn't her mother so there was nothing he could do, even though he felt like more of a father than Shredflame did. Suddenly a huge trunk smashed into the roof of the den.

"Ravenpaw!" Swiftleap was about to turn away when he heard a terrified squeal, he glanced at the place where it had come from and only just caught a sight of Grasspaw, the grey she-cat was gone shortly after, her tiny body, crushed beneath the trunk. Swiftleap slammed his eyes shut and turned away, sheltering Ravenpaw as good as he could. The wind began to slow down and the clearing became a lot more crowded. A she-cat screeched louder than anything in the clearing and Swiftleap felt Ravenpaw trembling beneath him, she raised her head slightly and then shot away from him.

"Grasspaw! Grasspaw, I'm here! Where are you?" Ravenpaw called, her meow sounded full of terror and excitement, it stopped and the clearing fell silent.

"My kit!" Swiftleap heard Ashclaw's grief-filled caterwaul split the silence and Swiftleap slowly padded out with his head lowered. He caught a glimpse of Splashheart and Sagewillow staring at the trunk, their eyes were filled with terror but he quickly looked away.

"Grasspaw, no!" Ravenpaw squeaked, her meow sounded as if it had been cut off, he looked at her and saw her collapse beside the trunk. He walked to her side, once he saw Grasspaw he knew why it was horrifying, half of the little she-cats body had been crushed beneath the tree and blood was pooling out her mouth, her head sitting the wrong way and her eyes were clouded, it would have been quick but painful. Ashclaw fell to the ground beside Swiftleap and Ravenpaw, she gave her kits head a few gentle licks and then began to cry. Her tears caused the ground around Grasspaw to go damp.

"Great Starclan," A tom's voice sounded from behind Swiftleap and Ravenpaw. He turned to see Shredflame staring at Grasspaw's limp body, he saw Ravenpaw and began to go near her but was quickly stopped by a loud hiss.

"Don't you touch her!" It was Ashclaw, she sounded furious, her teeth were bared in a snarl and she looked ready to pounce. Swiftleap wrapped his tail around Ravenpaw tightly, making sure Shredflame couldn't reach her even though Ashclaw looked absolutely petrifying. The black she-cat slowly padded toward her mate, her teeth still bared.

"She's my kit too!" Shredflame suddenly retaliated, he stood his ground and faced his mate, she hissed at him and then sat down in front of him.

"You never treated them like your kits," She spat. Shredflame dropped his jaw in surprise, and then slammed it shut with his teeth still showing.

"They don't deserve a father, considering their mother is a rogue that has spent her whole life living in a fantasy," Shredflame snarled. Ashclaw unsheathed her claws but didn't flinch from her spot.

"Well, their father was the one that broke the warrior code and mated with a rogue," She sneered. Shredflame simply growled and then stomped away from Ashclaw, with his tail thrashing about. Ashclaw turned around and faced her remaining kit. She parted from Swiftleap and ran to her mother's side. Ashclaw wrapped her tail around Ashclaw and held her close against her chest, Ravenpaw began to sob, causing Ashclaw to do the same, the clan all lowered their heads and fell silent for Ashclaw and her kit.


	26. Chapter 24

Warriors Escape From The Dark

 **Chapter 24**

"Ok, Ravenpaw, leap at me," Wolfheart ordered. The little she-cat didn't, she instead sat down where she was and faced the ground. Wolfheart slowly padded to her side and sat down next to her. Ravenpaw began to sob. It had been three days since her sister had been crushed by the huge oak tree. They had eventually got Grasspaw's body out but it was obvious that she was dead. Even though her body had been set free, the huge oak tree still remained and the dreaded reminder that Grasspaw was gone. Wolfheart had tried to keep Ravenpaw out of the clearing and distracted as much as he could but there would always be the time where they would have to return to the clearing to be reminded.

"Can we go hunting instead?" Ravenpaw eventually meowed, even though Wolfheart could barely hear her.

"Of course, training is all about you, I am just here for support," Wolfheart purred, he gave his apprentice a little lick across her ear. She got up but didn't raise her head.

"Is it alright if we visit my sister once more?" Ravenpaw plead. Wolfheart sighed. He and her had both visited Grasspaw's grave three times today but Wolfheart understood, he was just glad that Ravenpaw hadn't retaliated like he did after Springpaw's death. He nodded and Ravenpaw gave him a little smile.

"On one condition, you have to catch two pieces of prey for the elders, and I'll catch the third for Leafclaw," Wolfheart demanded.

Ravenpaw nodded and then sprinted away into the bushes ahead of them. Wolfheart pelted after her and realised that she was already stalking a plump mouse that was nibbling on a nut. Wolfheart climbed up the tree just above her and watched her graceful paw steps as they slowly made their way silently across the forest floor. Suddenly she leaped into the air, alerting the little mouse but Ravenpaw was too quick, she dived down and landed on the mouse, killing it with one swift bite. She buried it under a few dry leaves and then made her way around the tree that Wolfheart was in. Wolfheart slid around the tree and onto the opposite branch but when he got there and looked down Ravenpaw was nowhere to be seen. He quickly leaped down and scanned his surroundings.

"Ravenpaw?" He whispered, careful not to disturb any oblivious prey. The apprentice didn't answer, so he became worried. He dived into the clearing where Ravenpaw had buried her first piece of prey and sniffed at it to get her scent but it was drowned out by the juicy mouse.

"Wolfheart?" Wolfheart leaped into the air and then faced the voice, his teeth bared and claws ready to fight. He quickly straightened up and sheathed his claws, it was Tessa, her face looked bewildered.

"Sorry, I didn't realise it was you," He apologised. Tessa sighed and then her eyes filled with understanding.

"It's all right, Ravenpaw is deeper in the woods," She purred. Wolfheart was surprise that the she-cat knew he was looking for her but he quickly realised that it was kind of obvious.

"Is she alright?" Wolfheart wondered aloud. Tessa nodded and then leaped at Wolfheart joyfully, they thrashed about for a bit and then sat up, panting. Tessa leaned toward Wolfheart and licked his cheek. Wolfheart felt his heart stop and his breathing slow, he turned to the she-cat, who seemed to be dazzling in the sunlight glow. She sighed and then looked away from him, up into the sky.

"Great Starclan, I don't think I'll ever forget this," Tessa mewed. Her meow was shaky as if she was about to cry.

"Forget what? You're not going anywhere are you?" Wolfheart trotted to Tessa's side and sat down next to her, giving her shoulder a little nudge with his head. She laid her head on top of his and began to sob, he pulled away from her and gave her damp cheeks a soft lick.

"I don't think I can stay," Tessa admitted, she unsheathed her claws suddenly and her ears twitched. Wolfheart stared at her in confusion.

"What is it?" Wolfheart whispered. Tessa signalled for him to duck down in a bush behind them, she followed him shortly after.

"Someone's out there," Tessa replied sternly. The bushes rustled ahead of them, almost instantly Tessa leaped out and into the bushes. A surprised caterwaul sounded and Wolfheart quickly got up and went into the bush.

"Get off me!" Wolfheart saw Tessa backing off of a flustered Ravenpaw. Wolfheart chuckled slightly. Tessa and Ravenpaw glared at him and he immediately clenched his jaw shut.

"Are you alright?" Wolfheart asked his apprentice, she licked her paw and ran it over her ear a few times before facing him.

"Yes, I'm fine but I couldn't any extra prey, it's all hiding for some reason," Ravenpaw reported. Wolfheart cocked his head sideways slightly.

"Show me what you mean," He ordered calmly. Ravenpaw nodded and pelted off. Wolfheart quickly went after her and was quickly accompanied by Tessa. Ravenpaw slammed her paws to the ground and stopped almost instantly after.

"Smell," Ravenpaw demanded. Wolfheart lowered his nose to the ground and smelt around a dark hole. The scent was a mouse but it was different somehow, the mouse smelt scared.. Wolfheart felt a light drip on his nose, he looked at the sky and realised that it had been filled with dark clouds, he heard rushing water somewhere in the distance and he immediately realised what was happening.

"Get into the trees now!" Wolfheart shouted. The two she-cats pelted into different trees and shortly after they were in the trees a huge wave of water thrashed past. The mass impact of it nearly tipped the trees over and the ground they were just on was now not visible, the den where the prey had scampered to was buried in a thick layer of black water.

"Wolfheart!" Ravenpaw's terrified squeal sounded from across the water. He looked over and saw her gripping on to a branch with her forepaws, her hind legs were nearly fully submerged in the dark water, causing her to be pulled away from the branch.

She suddenly disappeared into the water and Wolfheart went to jump straight after her but when he went to leap he saw a huge collection of soaked cat bodies. He slammed his eyes shut and gripped onto the branch tighter.

"Wolfheart help her!" Tessa's meow snapped him back into the present, and he shot his eyes open and saw the same black water from before.

He sheathed his claws and leaped into the cascading wave. He was quickly drenched with the water, it was slimy and hard to wade through. He felt tired with every heave. He eventually broke the surface and a felt an icy wind break into his chest. He faintly heard Ravenpaw's gasp for air from further down the current before he was engulfed once more by the thick wave. He flailed helplessly with his paws, trying to latch onto something but he was lost in a black wave of nothingness.

 _Wolfheart…_ A soft whisper sounded from beside Wolfheart. He turned over to see Springpaw, his sister. He couldn't tell if he was crying because his face was already soaked.

 _She needs you, please try…_ She pleaded, she turned into the darkness and Wolfheart saw the rough outline of a tiny she-cat. He immediately thrashed about and swam as fast as he could to get to Ravenpaw. He eventually got close enough to the helpless she-cat and gripped her tightly by the scruff. He felt as if he flew upwards. Once he broke the surface he flung Ravenpaw onto the closest piece of dry land and went to follow her up but before he could a huge branch came hurtling towards him. He managed to leap up slightly and land on it, before it got too far he jumped down beside Ravenpaw. The little she-cat was barely breathing and her fur was soaked. Wolfheart pressed his paws gently onto her soaked pelt and attempted to push some of the water out of her but she didn't even budge. He collapsed at her side and felt warm tears fall down his cheek.

"Ravenpaw, please get up," He sobbed. The she-cat shakily sat up and faced him.

"You look like a dog," She chuckled. Wolfheart looked at himself from tail-tip to nose and realised that his thick fur had become like a large coat over him. He chuckled with her and they both sat like that for bit. Wolfheart moved closer to her and began pushing her fur the other way to warm her up.

"Come on, let's get back to camp," Wolfheart purred. He allowed Ravenpaw to lean up against him and they began to trudge through the muddy ground ahead of them towards camp. They were soon after joined by Tessa, whose pelt was also soaked. The three of them kept going to camp, with their drenched pelts touching each other's.

 **Hi, Lightwhisker here, this is the last chapter in my fourth book! My next book is called 'Warriors Journey Through The Unknown' so keep a look out ;3**


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